From the Very First Moment
by lightingpaperlanterns
Summary: Lily, I've loved you from the very first moment I saw you." "James," Lily breathed. Had he really just said that? Was he asking for a slap in the face? My version of the story of how Lily and James got together. Some moments taken from DH. Please R&R!
1. You're a Witch!

The playground was empty, save for two small girls that were swinging on the swings. The elder one had long, brown hair and brown eyes, and she was laughing with the other, her sister. The sister couldn't have been more then ten years old, and she had long, red hair and emerald green eyes. They were swinging quite happily, and then the younger one had an idea.

She swung higher and higher than her sister, intending to jump off at the highest she possibly could. Her sister finally realised what she was doing, as she had done it before.

"Lily, don't do it!" she shrieked, but Lily had already let go. She flew through the air, laughing her head off, and she landed on the ground with the grace of a gymnast, instead of hitting it like she was supposed to. As her older sister dug into the dirt with her heels, Lily couldn't help but laugh.

"Mummy told you not to!" the girl said, rushing over and putting her hands on her hips. "Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

Lily was still giggling as she gave her reply. "But I'm fine," Lily said, lying on the ground and clutching her sides. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do!" She leapt up and ran towards the bushes where, unbeknowst to them, was a small boy of Lily's age. She picked a dead flower off of the ground and held it in her hand.

The older girl was somewhere torn between curiosity and disapproval, but she came forward anyway. Before their very eyes, the rose came to life, and it's petals started closing and opening up again. The brunette, Tuney, looked at it for a few seconds before shouting at her sister to stop doing it.

"It's not hurting you," Lily shrugged, but put the flower down anyway.

"It's not right," Tuney said, her eyes following the flowers descent onto the ground. "How do you do it?" she asked, and Lily knew that her sister wished she could do it too.

"It's obvious isn't it?" the small boy said, coming out from behind the bushes. Tuney screamed and ran back towards the swings, but Lily, although shocked, was a curious and unafraid eleven year old girl, and stayed where she was. She watched as the small boy flushed a dull red colour.

"What's obvious?" Lily said, eyeing the boy warily.

The boy smiled a little nervously, and glanced at the older sister. She shot the boy a look of disgust as he leant close to Lily and said, "I know what you are."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"You're... you're a witch!" the boy whispered, laughing a bit at the end.

She dropped her mouth in horror. "That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!" she yelled, and stalked off to join her sister.

"No!" the boy cried, and he went off after the girls. The girls looked at him judgingly, noting his overlarge coat, which, when he walked, made him look a little bit like a bat. Lily and her sister looked at each other, both holding onto a swing pole and turning their noses up at the boy.

"You _are_," the boy said to Lily, completely ignoring her older sister. "You _are_ a witch. I've been watching you for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, and I'm a wizard."

The brunette laughed a cold laugh, like icy water, angry at the boy for watching her little sister. "Wizard!" she shrieked. "I know who _you_ are. You're that Snape boy!" Turning to Lily she continued, "they live down Spinner's Endby the river." Only an idiot was able to tell that she wouldn't recommend living anywhere near there. "Why have you been spying on us?" she asked Snape.

"Haven't been spying," Snape said, turning red from the sunlight. "Wouldn't spy on _you_ anyway. _You're_ a muggle."

Tuney had no idea what the word meant, but she really disliked the tone in which he said it. "Lily, come on, we're leaving!"

Lily followed her sister at once, both of them glaring at Snape as they passed him leaving the playground. Their house was only down the road, and once there, Lily went straight to her room to write in her diary.

Two days later, Lily was on her way to the breakfast table when she heard the mailman drop the mail through the door. Making a short detour to grab them, she continued on her way to breakfast. She gave the letters to her mother and sat down in front of her plate, waiting for her father to put some bacon and eggs on there.

"Lily, there's a letter for you here," her mother said as the bacon and eggs made their way onto her plate. She looked up, confused, and grabbed the letter from her mother. She ripped it open, and as her eyes scanned the page, they bulged until they looked they were about to fall out of her head.

"TUNEY!" Lily called, dropping the letter and running to wake up her sister.

"What do you want?" her sister moaned as Lily shook her awake.

"What that boy said the other day is true!" Lily cried. "I got a letter and it says I'm a witch."

"That's ridiculous!" Tuney said, and Lily, giving up, huffed out of the room to sit back down at the table. Her mother and father were reading the letter that Lily had dropped, and noticing Lily's reappearance back into the room, they looked up with confused looks on their faces. Then there was a knock at the door.

**

James Potter walked through the crowded station to try and find the magical barrier to Platform 9 ¾. He was with his parents, and he was looking around the station in awe at the muggle trains. He spied a girl with long red hair with her two parents and what looked like her sister. Only the red head had a Hogwarts trunk, and she looked very lost.

Her father, like her, had red hair, and he was looking around the station, between platforms nine and ten. The mother was standing there with one of her hands on the red head's back, and one of her hands on the brunette's back. The brunette was determinedly not looking at any memebers of her family, and whenever she saw somebody that was carrying a trunk like her younger sister's, she would look in a different direction.

"Mummy," James said. "Can we go help that girl? It looks like she's lost!"

"Sure darling," his mother said, and she directed his trunk towards the young family. The father of the girl looked at them and smiled.

"Hello," Mrs Potter said. "My name is Giselle Potter, this is my husband Batholemew and this is my son James. Are you by any chance looking for something?"

"Oh no," Lily said straight away. "I'm waiting for my friend Severus. We're going to catch the train to Hogwarts together!"

"Lily," her mother hissed, but Giselle Potter just laughed.

"Oh, no need to worry child," she said. "Our James is going to Hogwarts too. Are you a first year?"

Lily nodded enthusiastically, while James just stared at her. He was feeling something he'd never felt before, but he had a feeling that he knew what it was. He started turning a little bit red, and decided to look away.

"Oh, mummy!" Lily said suddenly. "Look! Sev's going onto the platform without me!"

All seven of them looked and saw a woman with her son vanishing into the barrier. The Evans' looked taken aback, apart from Lily who was amazed. "Wow!" she mouthed, aware that the boy that had just vanished told him that he would wait for her.

"Do you want us to go onto the platform with you honey?" Lily's mother asked.

"No, it's okay mummy," Lily said. "I'll see you at Christmas!"

"Okay," her father said. "Goodbye Lilyflower."

"Bye daddyflower," she said, hugging her father and her mother goodbye. Then she went to her sister. "Goodbye Tuney," she said.

"Whatever, FREAK!" her sister said. She ran off the station, causing her parents to run after her. Lily turned back to the magical barrier and, ignoring the Potter family, she walked through it.

By the time James had said goodbye to his parents, he had lost her, but he found her soon after in a compartment on the train. She was sitting with a boy with long, black hair, just like his, who was sitting there trying to find something to do. He sat down across from the girl, who James could see had been crying her eyes out. As soon as he put his trunk away and sat down, the boy that Lily had shown him, from the station, opened the compartment door and came into the small space.

"I don't want to talk to you," Lily said, barely glancing up to see who it was.

"Why not?" Snape asked, as if he hadn't noticed the sadness in her voice.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter... from Dumbledore!"

"So what?" he asked.

She glared at him. "So she's my sister!" Lily sobbed.

"But we're going!" Snape jumped around enthusiastically, hardly keeping the excitement from his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

Lily wiped her eyes, nodding, and she let out a small smile.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," Snape smiled, sitting down across from the boy that was sitting next to her.

James hadn't really been paying attention before now, but he snapped his head up at the mention of Slytherin. He'd been raised by wizarding parents, so he knew what the houses at Hogwarts were. Slytherin, he had heard, had the worst reputation.

"Slytherin?" he asked. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He said this to the boy sitting next to Lily.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said awkwardly.

"Blimey!" James said, gawping. "And I thought you seemed alright!"

"Maybe I'll break the tradition!" he grinned. "Where are you headed, if you've got the choice?"

James smiled at this and raised his hand, as if holding a sword in his grasp. "_Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!_" he recited. "Just like my dad."

Severus Snape made a small gagging noise at this. "Have you got a problem with that?"

"No," said Snape, although he was sneering, and obviously did. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy -"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" the other boy interjected, sniggering. James roared with laughter, and so did the other boy, while Lily sat up, flushed, and glared at James and the other boy in dislike.

"Come on Severus, let's find another compartment," she said, ignoring the mimickings of the two boys. As Snape passed, James tried to trip him up, but it didn't work.

"Seeya Snivellus!" the other boy said.

The two boys heard the door of the compartment clicked, and their laughing subsided.

"I'm James Potter," James introduced himself.

"I'm Sirius Black," the other boy said. Then they started laughing again, remembering the look on Snape's face.

**

The first years were standing at the front of the Great Hall, ready to be sorted. Lily was sitting with Snape, and James was standing with Sirius. Although, Sirius had just been called up to get sorted. James saw some of the people sitting at the Slytherin table sit up a little bit straighter: He supposed they must have been the cousins that Sirius had been talking about.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted, and the people at the Slytherin table slumped back in their seats, their faces no longer proud and boastful.

James smiled to himself as Lily Evans was called up and she placed the hat on her head. She too was sorted into Gryffindor. As she sat down across from Sirius, not wanting to sit next to him, she smiled a little sadly at Snape. James had to stop himself from gagging.

"Potter, James," was finally called, and James ran up towards the stool that held the hat. The hat was placed upon his head by Professor McGonagall, and the hat called out 'GRYFFINDOR'. Beaming, he took the hat off of his head and sat down next to Sirius. Across from him was Lily, and a shabby looking boy called Remus Lupin, but the two seemed to be getting along fine.

"Snape, Severus," Professor McGonagall announced, and Sirius and James tried not to laugh as the boy stumbled up to the sorting hat. He was immediately sorted into Slytherin.


	2. Apple Juice

Lily was arguing under her breath with Snape, and they were crossing the courtyard. They were now in their fifth year. They had managed to maintain their friendship, but Lily wasn't able to see how they could stay friends for much longer. They were drifting apart, and going their own separate ways.

"I thought we were supposed to be friends? Best friends?" Snape said.

"We _are_ Sev," Lily said, "but I don't like the people you're hanging out with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! _Mulciber!_ What do you see in him Sev? He's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?"

Lily leaned against a pillar now, and she looked up into the sallow face that belonged to Snape.

"That was nothing," Snape said. "It was a laugh, that's all -"

"It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny -"

"What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?" Snape demanded. He was unable to hold in his resentment for James, Sirius and Remus... and to a lesser extent Peter Pettigrew, and colour rose into his cheeks.

"What's Potter got to do with anything?" Lily asked, her tone turning cold.

"They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?"

"He's ill," Lily said. "They say he's ill -"

"Every month at the full moon?" Snape asked sceptically.

"I know your theory," said Lily in the same tone as before. "Why are you so obsessed with them, anyway? Why do you care what they're doing at night?"

"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."

Lily blushed under the intensity of his gaze.

"They don't use Dark Magic, though," she said, dropping her gaze. "And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there -"

Snape's face contorted with rage. "Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too! You're not going to – I won't let you -"

"Let me? _Let _me?" she asked, finally losing her temper, her emerald eyes turning to slits. Snape changed his tact.

"I didn't mean – I just don't want to see you made a fool of – he fancies you, James Potter fancies you!" Lily, taken aback, knew that Snape had not wanted to say that.

"And he's not... Everyone thinks... Big Quidditch hero -" By now Snape was riddled with bitterness, dislike, and hate, and this combination was making him babble. Lily's eyebrows travelled further into her hair.

"I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag," she said, cutting across Snape's babbling. "I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber and Avery's idea of humour is just evil. _Evil, _Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."

Lily looked at Snape, and doubted he had heard what she had said about Mulciber and Avery, and rolled her eyes. Of course, he would only listen to anything she said if it had something to do with insulting Potter. There was a spring in his step as they walked away, but Lily wasn't paying attention. She was thinking about what Severus had said about Remus.

Of the group that had dubbed themselves 'The Marauders', Lily was closest to Remus, the shy boy that disappeared every month. Lily had been friends with him since the sorting in first year, but they weren't very close friends. If they were up in the Gryffindor common room, and Remus' friends were being idiots, and Lily's friends were talking about some hot bass player for some new band, they would always talk to each other. And they had both been made prefects this year, so they were required to talk to each other during patrols.

She couldn't bear to think that maybe Remus was as Severus suggested. Could he have been bitten by a werewolf as a child? He probably could have, and if that was true, he'd probably been a werewolf for as long as he could remember. And it surely wouldn't have been his fault. You can't really choose if you're going to be a werewolf.

"You okay Evans?" somebody asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She was sitting in the common room in the chair nearest the fire.

"Oh what do you want, Potter?" she asked.

"Youch," he said. "Just asking how you were."

"I'm not having a very good day," she said. "Sev's being a bit insolent lately."

"Sniv, being a _bit _insolent?" James snorted.

"See, this is why I don't talk to you," Lily said, glaring at him and gathering up her things. "I'll see you in class tomorrow Potter."

He cursed to himself as he saw Lily stalk up the stairs to her dorm.

**

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Lily heard Sirius ask as they entered the entrance hall after their Defence Against the Dark Arts theory OWL.

"Loved it," Remus said briskly. "_Give five signs that identify the werewolf_. Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" James asked, mocking concern.

"Think I did," he said serioulsy. Lily, intrigued, listened intently to this conversation instead of listening to what Alice Prewett was trying to say to her.

"One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."

Lily paused. So Severus had been right, and she'd ignored him. Well, she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction just yet. At Remus' comments, the Marauder's all laughed, except for Peter, who was worried about getting the question wrong.

Lily didn't hear the rest of the conversation. She went out into the grounds with Alice and Mary and sat beneath one of the large beech trees that littered the grounds. Snape however, followed the four friends, but Lily noticed that he was too engrossed in the exam paper to realise what they were talking about.

Lily and Alice were almost finished going through the test when some loud noises reached Lily's ears. She looked in the direction they were coming from and anger reached her cheeks, threatening to take over. James Potter and Sirius Black were duelling with Severus, and students were gathering around them to look watch this exchange.

Lily got up and ran towards the boys at the lake. "Leave hiim ALONE!" Lily yelled, but James had already used a scrubbing charm on Severus' mouth. James and Sirius both turned around to see who had called to them, and James, on seeing that it was her, put his hand to his hair and messed it up a little bit.

"All right, Evans?" asked James, and he sounded like a mature man, something Lily knew he wasn't.

"Leave him alone," Lily snarled. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, stretching out his words as much as he could, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Many of the students surrounding them laughed, but Lily and Remus didn't.

"You think you're funny," Lily said, her voice as cold as ice, and James knew she was angry now. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

James got a sly smile on his face. "I will if you go out with me, Evans," he said. "Go on... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Lily noticed the Impediment Jinx that Sirius had cast was wearing off, and Severus was beginning to inch towards his wand.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily snapped, glaring at him.

"Bad luck Prongs," Sirius said, patting his friend on the back. "OI!" he called, noticing that the jinx was wearing off.

Snape pointed his wand straight at James, and a gash appeared on the side of James' face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled around, clutching the gash, and he pointed his wand at Snape. A second later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his face covered up by the robes that fell over his head, revealing skinny legs and greying underwear.

Sirius, James and Peter roared with laughter, many people in the crowd cheered, and Lily had to stop herself from laughing a little bit. "Let him down!" she said to James, trying to sound angry, but failing miserably.

"Certainly," James said, flicking his wand and letting Snape fall into a heap on the ground. Snape found his way to the top of his robes and got up, wand pointing at James.

"_Petrificus Totalus_," Sirius yelled, pointing his wand at Snape.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted, this time achieving anger. Her wand was pointing at James, and she had no recollection of having pulled it out.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," James said in earnest.

"Take the curse off him then!"

James sighed and then muttered the counter-curse, releasing Snape. "There you go," James said, watching Snape struggle to his feet. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus -"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods liker her!" Snape blurted out.

"Fine," Lily said, her eyes going red. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

She felt guitly for that. That was the first time she had ever called him 'Snivellus'.

"Apologise to Evans!" James said to Snape, keeping his wand trained on the form of the sallow skinned boy.

"I don't want _you_ to make him apologise," Lily shouted, her wand pointing back to James. "You're as bad as he is!"

"What?" James yelped. "I'd NEVER call you a – you-know-what!"

Lily rolled her eyes at the pathetic boy in front of her. "Messing up your hair just because you think it looks cool to look like you'e just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK!"

And with that, Lily ran back up to the castle, all the way to the common room, and her dormitory, and when she got there, she jumped onto her bed, put her face in her pillow and cried.

**

"Lily?" Mary Macdonald asked. She spotted Lily lying on her bed, her face buried in her pillow. "Lily, Snape's outside the portrait hole and wants to talk to you."

"Snape can go get stuffed," she said.

"He said he'd sleep there if you didn't go down and talk to him."

Lily sat up and rubbed her eyes. They were red from the many tears that she had cried in the last three hours, and she knew that rubbing them wasn't going to help. She sighed, got into her pajama's, and then went downstairs to the portrait hole.

"What do you want?" she asked when she saw Snape's form.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I'm not interested," she said, really not interested.

"I'm sorry!" he tried again.

"Save your breath," Lily said, throwing up her arms. "I only came out because Mary told me hat you were threatening to sleep here."

"I was. I would have done. I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just -"

"Slipped out?" Lily asked, her voice absent of pity. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends – you see, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"

She watched as Snape opened his mouth, and then closed it again without speaking.

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

"No – listen, I didn't mean -"

"- to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?"

Snape struggled to say something that had obviously been on his mind for a while, but he didn't get it out in time. Lily turned on her heel and entered the common room, leaving Snape out in the corridor.

"Lily, are you okay?" somebody asked. She looked up to see Remus coming over.

"I'm fine," she lied, and this was blatantly obvious to anyone who could see her.

"You know, sometimes, life hands you lemons. You know what you do with those lemons? Make apple juice, and then watch the muggle population wonder how you did it."

Lily had to laugh at that, and she knew that Remus would know this from experience. She looked into the brown eyes of her friend, and knew that he was a caring and generous peron, that being a werewolf was no fault of his, and that it didn't change who he was inside. She smiled at him.

"Thank you Remus," she said. "I think you're right."

"Of course I am," he said. "I'm Remus Lupin."

Lily said goodnight to him and went up to her dormitory. She drew the curtains of her four poster bed, and she fell asleep, thinking about all the things she had done with Severus. They meant nothing now. They were no longer friends. And starting tomorrow, she would have to start talking to the arrogant toerag named James Potter again. Oh, what a life had she.

* * *

**Okay, so this is my first Marauder era-story. I have read many, and found they tend to dominate my favourites.**

**So, in the first chapter, I realise that in the Seventh book it has the Evans family ON the Platform. I thought, no, I need James to see her somewhere else, so I changed it. Sorry to everyone who picked that up.**

**And I checked my traffic: I put this story up 24 hours ago, and in that time, it had 82 visitors!!! WOW!!!**

**Special thanks to the reviewers of the first chapter, and they are: Pigtails (or Luna/RaindropsOnTheRooftop), oHmYgOdNoWaY (nice name btw), BettyCrocker and Hikari-and-Akari.**

**And thanks to Pigtails for picking up my error... thanks muchly, see you tomorrow =].. **

**I hoped you like this chapter!! And I hope you review it, because I so would, but I already reviewed one of my other stories and I thought, 'well, I'm not doing that again, because that makes me look big-headed and retarded at the same time'...**

**Hang out for the next chapter, it should be more original stuff... this chappie was sort of copied from OOTP and DH, but from different POV's. **

**Please review, **

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	3. Enlighten Me

**Okay, I seriously just figured out what had been bugging me all night since I posted, so for those of you that have already read this chapter, the only thing I've changed is a date: 1979 to 1977... that was my mistake, I'm sorry... otherwise, enjoy!! and review!!**

Oh. My. God. No. Way. This has got to be some kind of joke. Me? Head Girl? Now that's ridiculous. But then again... compared to the competition, I suppose I was kind of the best choice. No wait, that makes me sound big-headed. Oh great.

But seriously, I thought the letter was heavier than it normally was, but I didn't think it would have THAT inside it. I thought it might have something to do with seventh year courses. Oh, no. Low and behold, there's a shiny little badge in there that reads 'Head Girl'.

Oh, I hope the Remus got Head Boy. It's not often that both the Heads are from the same house, but Remus is just the obvious choice. I mean, there's Snivellus in Slytherin (please God no, the world could not be so cruel) or there're the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects, and I don't like them very much. The Ravenclaw one thinks he's too smart, and the Hufflepuff one is too snotty.

Perhaps I should write Ali and Mary and tell them. Yes, I think I'll do that. Then we'll all go to Diagon Alley together to get our new school things. Yay. Okay, I'll do that now.

**

"What?" I asked as my sister just stood there, looking quite like a horse, having just broken the news. We were in the kitchen, and it was dinner time. And Vernon, her complete elephant of a boyfriend, was dining with us. As per usual. There could never be one mention of my school under his nose, or otherwise I'd get smart with the memory spell. Hehehe. That would be the day.

"I'm getting married you dolt!" she said again. She was way too excited.

"I gathered that," I said. "I meant, why are you telling me?"

"I want you to be Maid of Honour," she said, her smile fading a little.

"Why?" I asked. "You've been nothing but mean to me since I..." I eyed Vernon at this, knowing that I had just been about to spill my secret.

"I know," Petunia said, also eyeing him, but with love in her eyes. Disgusting! "And I guess it's because I was always a little bit jealous of you. But I want to make it up to you. So will you be Maid of Honour?"

I thought about it for a while. At least I would have a good reason for being at the wedding... "Alright fine," I said, without even knowing what I was saying. Cripes! Now I was roped into it.

"Excellent," Petunia beamed, getting up from her seat and hugging me. She hadn't done that since I was... eleven. Now I was seventeen, and in full possession of my powers, which included an apparition licence, so if she annoyed me I could disappear.

"Ah, Petunia, I have to go to bed now."

"Why?" she asked, sitting back down with Vernon. And grasping his hand. Excuse me while I vomit.

"I have to finish packing for school, and I have to be at the train early tomorrow."

"Right," Petunia said. She'd been out of school for three years now, and had no problem with laughing at me for still being at school. It didn't matter, I liked my school... apart from certain persons that will not be named _cough_Potter-and-Snape_cough_. Oops, sorry about that. And, I suppose, to a lesser extent, Sirius Black.

I sighed, getting up from the table. I put my plate in the sink and then dashed up to my room. I wasn't allowed to apparate around the house... My Hogwarts trunk was on the bed: right were I left it. I grabbed my wand from the bedside table and waved it towards the books on my desk, making them fly into my trunk. Perfect. I put my uniform on the top, and then closed it up, put it on the floor next to my desk, and grabbed my phone.

Who was I going to call that knew how to use a phone? My initial thoughts were Snape, but I hadn't spoken to him since that day in fifth year... Alice was still struggling to understand the concept of how two people could talk to each other, hearing each other's voices, while not having to be standing in front of the other. Mary didn't even know they existed so that left... Bella. Her name isn't really Bella. I just call her that because it's the Italian word for beautiful, and that she is. She's a muggle-born, like me, so she knew exactly how to use a phone. She's a pretty close friend, so I don't know why I didn't think of her sooner.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Ciao Bella," I said. I'd taken Italian in primary school, but the remnants of what I knew of that language were little.

"Oh, hey Lils," she said, realising it was me. I'm the only person who calls her Bella. "What's up?"

"Petunia is getting married," I said, just blurting it out.

"Wow," Bella said. "That sucks big time. Are you going to the wedding?"

"I have to," I admitted. "I agreed to be Maid of Honour."

"What did you do that for?" she asked me, acting like I was crazy.

"I just really wanted to go come upstairs and get away from that... thing... she loves. And I can't get out of it now..."

"That sucks Lily," she said. "Hey, what time you getting to the platform tomorrow?"

"Early," I said. "I have to be up in the prefects' carriage... being Head Girl and all..."

"Right," she said. "Well, I have to go, because mum's eyeing me weirdly, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then," I said. I hung up the phone, put the alarm on, and went to sleep.

**

11:30. That's when the meeting starts. Right now it's 11:29, just about time for everybody to be in the carriage. The Head Boy is missing, but I don't know who it could be, as all the seventh year prefects are here, and it's not any of them. I was surprised, and a little bit disappointed that Remus didn't get it. I think he would have been the best choice. But then, maybe Dumbledore didn't pick him because of his... furry little problem.

Now it's 11:30, and Head Boy still isn't here. I'll just have to start the meeting then.

"Good morning guys," I said, my hands shaking at having to address the whole of the prefects. It isn't that many I suppose, but I still suck at public speaking. "You are the Prefect team of 1977. I am Lily Evans, your new Head Girl. Unfortunately, I have no idea who your Head Boy is, and as he isn't here, I can't safely say who it is." I glanced towards Remus at this.

"First things first," I went on. "Fifth years, welcome to the team, and we hope you do well. You will be in charge of making sure the first years make it to their common room and know where their dorms are. Sixth and seventh years, you are in charge of making sure the fifth years don't get too nervous, and that the first years get help whenever they need it. Okay?"

They all nodded. Excellent, I was doing a good job so far.

"Right, now, Professor Dumbledore has sent ahead all the necessary passwords that you will need at the start of this year. The password to the Prefect's bathroom is _Dunderbubbles_, and that is located on the fifth floor. Sixth years, if you can show that to the fifth years in your house, that would be great."

Now I pulled out the pieces of parchment that Dumbledore had sent ahead with the passwords to the Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff common rooms. There were enough for each prefect to get their own sheet with their password. I always felt kind of sorry for the Ravenclaw students though, because they never have a password. I tapped the parchments with my wand and they all zoomed to their relevant prefects. Then the carriage door opened, and I spun around.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, looking around at all of us.

"Potter, you insolent prat, what are you doing in here? This is the prefects' carriage." I looked him up and down. He was already in his Gryffindor robes, and his hair was it's usual messy black. But there was a minor difference, and I noticed it as soon as I finished my sentence.

"Remus, can you please enlighten me as to why Potter is wearing a Head Boy badge?"

"Professor Dumbledore has finally lost his marbles," Severus said.

"That much is evident," I snapped. "Potter, you're excused for being late, and that brings me to my next point." I turned to the rest of the prefects. "Part of your prefect duties is to turn up to patrols twice a week on the seventh and first floors. I have written a draft of the roster, and Potter will be finishing it soon. I will get copies posted to common room notice boards as soon as he is finished. You may go."

Potter's mouth was hanging open. He only spoke after everybody left, but I knew that Remus was waiting on the other side of the door.

"Why do I have to finish the roster?" he asked, upset.

"Because I've done everything else, and you need to start taking some responsibility." I pulled a sheet of paper out of my bag and showed him what I had done. "Start working on it as soon as possible, or McGonagall will have both our necks."

I stalked out of the carriage leaving him staring at me, with love or hate I don't really know. I grabbed my trunk on my way, and went to find my friends. All three of my best friends were in Gryffindor, so we didn't have to spend a lot of time without each other's company. Alice and Mary both had two magical parents, and Bella and I had none.

I found them in the end carriage of the train, and they were sitting with Sirius Black.

"Oh, my God," I said. "Black, what are you doing here? Potter and Remus are up the front somewhere."

"I'm asking for help on my Muggle Studies essay that I was supposed to do over the break. Can you help me?"

"What's it on?" I asked. Being muggle-born, I didn't take the subject, but I knew enough about muggles to be able to help him out.

"Cotermycles," he said. Bella and I laughed.

"What?" he said. "Did I say something wrong?"

"It's motorcycles," I said between fits of laughter. "Motorcycles. What about them?"

"Well, how do they balance?"

"Aerodynamacy," I said, and enjoyed the blank look on his face. I sighed, sat down next to him, and started to explain.

**

"Having Potter as Head Boy to your Head Girl is just cruel!" Bella said.

"No, it's not cruel. It's almost cruel," I replied.

"What would cruel be?"

"Putting Sev as Head Boy..."

"Oh," Alice said, understanding. Sev and I used to be friends, before he turned on me and decided to hang with his future Death Eater friends. The vile, slithering, Slytherin, jerk, thing -

"Evans!" Potter shouted from across the common room. He was over with his friends, and he motioned for me to come over, so I got up and walked over to him.

"What do you want?" I asked, disinterested.

"This roster..." he said. "There's fourteen slots to fill, but there's only thirteen pairs."

"We have to do two," I said automatically.

"Okay," he said. "That's cool." He put his quill back to the paper, going over the pen I'd already done. He completely agreed with me. I waited for him to finish it off, and when he did, he handed it to me.

I pulled out my wand and quickly made four copies onto parchment. "You know, I'm surprised Potter. Usually you leave homework for the last minute."

"Well, I'm Head Boy, so I have to set a good example," he said. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the notice board, sticking one of the copies of the prefect roster up. I went over to my friends and told them that I had to go out and do something, and that I'd be back soon.

I dashed out of the portrait hole, and headed to some offices. First, I went to Professor Slughorn's office, him being head of Slytherin house. I knocked quietly on his open door in the dungeons. Sound carried quite well in this place.

"Ah, Miss Evans," he said, inviting me in. "Congratulations on Head Girl. I knew you'd get it, and you're just the person for it."

"Thank you," I said, going red.

"So what can I do you for?" he asked. I hated it when he said that. It really bugged me.

"Uh, Potter and I have finished the patrol roster for the Prefects, and I was just coming down to ask you if you could put a copy of it on the Slytherin notice board..."

"Of course my child," he said in a big, booming voice, which matched his figure. Big. He reached into a bag of crystallised pineapple that was on his desk and pulled a few pieces out. He offered me one.

"No thank you," I said, handing the copy to him. "And thank you."

"No problems. You are, after all, my favourite student."

I blushed again, and let myself out, heading now towards Professor Flitwick's office. He was the head of Ravenclaw house. He agreed to putting the roster up, and congratulated me on getting Head Girl. Then I went on my way to Professor Macmillan, head of Hufflepuff. He too had no problems with the roster, so I made my way back to the common room. My friends had gone up to unpack, so I went and did the same.

We were all in the same dorm, but we all shared it with Penelope Gilmore, most annoying girl in the year. And she was also the new Gryffindor prefect. We didn't like her much, and all of her friends were in Hufflepuff, the snotty house. She'd already finished unpacking, and it seemed she was already asleep. I put a charm around her bed so that we wouldn't wake her up.

**

The next day was monotonous. In the morning we got our timetables... unfortunately, I was taking all the same classes as Potter AND Snape, and I had one class with none of my friends, which was Ancient Runes. But today, we didn't learn anything. We were given the same lecture from all of our teachers about NEWTs, and how important they were, and what we had to do to pass them. In each class, I just sat there with my friends, and we played things like hangman and naughts and crosses. Dinner was a relief that night, and I went to sleep as soon as I hit my bed.

**

Now, there's nothing wrong with having substitute prefects for the when the Heads get chosen, but did Dumbledore have to pick Penelope, who he knew I didn't like? It's been three weeks since the start of school, and these are the stats so far:

'O's on essays: three.

Patrols with Potter: six. They went okay. We didn't really talk much.

Letters from home: two, both from Petunia giving me details for her wedding.

Times Potter has asked me out: eight.

Got the spell the first time I tried it: every time.

Potions partner: Aleksandra Powell, a Slytherin. She's one of those future Death Eaters, and every time she comes near me she covers her nose, like I give off a bad smell. Potter and Black get really annoyed, and I think Sev does too, but I try not to pay too much attention. Potter and Black are partnered together. Aleks is also a prefect...

Times Penelope has missed her patrol: three.

Now here's my beef. All the prefects have to do is go to one patrol a week, for two hours. Not too much to ask. I put a lot of time into writing that roster up. I pored over an astronomy chart so as to make sure I could get a slot that wouldn't be too close to the full moon every week for the rest of the term. Friday was it, so that's what I put them as. Do you want to guess what Penelope has been doing every Friday when it's her shift?

* * *

**Okay guys, here's the deal: you can guess two things.**

**1. What Penelope has been doing every Friday when it's her shift.**

**2. When Petunia's wedding is going to be.**

**It is all revealed in the next chapter anyways, but it would be cool if you could guess it.**

**So, it's the last day of school tomorrow, so hopefully I should be writing a lot more over the holidays, of this one and my other fanfics. Especially NSSO, because that one's been neglected a little bit.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks a million bunches to this people who enjoyed and reviewed the last chapter.**

**Special mentions:**

** - sapphirestar11**

**- oHmYgOdNoWaY**

**- BettyCrocker**

**- Serena... thanks to all of you for reviewing**

**- Pigtails - for following my stories unfailingly... apart from this last chapter, but I understand you had no control over that... just make sure you review doubly good for this one =]... oh and UPDATE: Pigtails, you're forgiven =]  
**

**- Roses, for finally giving me my chocolate, and for reading this, even though she hasn't reviewed or anything. Love you!!**

**So that's it, please Review!!!!!!!! Please.**

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	4. A Date?

"Potter, we need to go talk to Professor Dumbledore," I said, marching up to him.

"Uh, why?" he asked. He was poring over the Transfiguration essay I was having trouble with. Why did the subject have to be so easy for him?

"Penelope hasn't turned up to any of her prefect duties," Remus said, not even looking up from the book he was reading.

"Exactly," I said. "It's just two hours a week that she has to quit socialising. That's not much to ask, and if Remus can do it, then Penelope sure can!"

"But why do we have to go to Dumbledore about it?"

"Because it's our job to report to him if we have any issues with the prefects," I sighed. "Now are you going to get up from your finished essay, or are you just going to sit there and make me look bad?"

"Fine," he said. "I'm getting up."

"Remus, are you going to come too?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, putting down his book and getting up.

"Are you guys going to leave me here with Pettigrew?" Sirius asked disbelievingly. "You can't do that!"

"We are," I said and stalked off. Remus and Potter followed, and we walked in silence down to the Headmaster's office. "_Bloodpops_," I uttered the password, which always seemed to have something to do with sweets.

The griffin moved aside to reveal a large, revolving staircase. We all hopped on, and when we got to the very top, we knocked on the door.

"Come in!" came a call from the other side of the door. I opened the door and the three of us walked in, the door shutting behind us.

"Ah, Mr Potter, Miss Evans, Mr Lupin, what can I do for you?" Dumbledore asked.

"We have an issue with one of the prefects," I said, getting straight down to it.

"So Mr Potter is here as Head Boy, and not as a troublemaker?" Dumbledore asked. I nodded.

"Excellent," he smiled. "Now what seems to be the problem?"

"Penelope Gilmore hasn't showed up to any of her patrols," I said. "She's been rostered on every Friday night, and it's only for two hours, but she's missed all three of them."

"Have she talked to you about it?" Dumbledore asked.

"No," James said. "She hasn't talked to Remus either... he's on the same time."

"Have you thought of changing the day of the shift?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," I said. "But I can't."

"Why not?" Dumbledore asked. Oh great, did he have to put me in this position? I got a piece of parchment, pulled a pen out of my pocket (I'd recently taken to carrying them around with me), and wrote something on it, which I promptly turned into a bird and made fly over to the Headmaster's desk. He read it, a stern look on his face, and nodded once.

"Well then, you'll have to write her up a warning, and I'll talk to her. Lily, you're in the same dormitory as she is... what has she been doing when she's supposed to have been doing her shifts?"

"She's been sleeping," I said. Potter started to snicker. "I've tried to get her out to her shift, but she hasn't been moving. Every week I went out to help Remus so that he didn't have to do it alone."

"Okay," Dumbledore said. "You can go."

As I left the room, I heard one of the portraits on the wall start laughing. "Mr Potter was there and he wasn't getting in trouble!" it said, and I rolled my eyes. The portraits must know Potter and Black pretty well by now. When I got down the bottom of the moving staircase, Potter and Remus took me aside.

"What did you write on that piece of paper?" Potter asked.

"That's really none of your business Potter, but it was the reason I couldn't change the Friday shift."

"What did it say?" Remus asked. I sighed. I couldn't bring myself to hide it from Remus that I knew any more.

"I told him I couldn't change it because of you," I said to him. Potter looked blank.

"What about him?"

"My... problem...?" Remus said.

"Yes," I nodded.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

"Since the Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL," I said. "I heard you talking to Potter and Black about it, and I kind of overheard. Sev put the idea in my head a few months before though."

"So, you don't care?" he asked.

"Remus," I said, "if I cared, I would have frozen you out a long time ago. I couldn't care if you were a banshee in need of a haircut and a vocal-cord-ectomy. You're still the same person, and you can't control it."

"Thank you," Remus said. "So, why can't you change the Friday shift?"

"Because I pored over an astronomy chart while I was writing up the draft for that roster, and Friday was the only day that wasn't too close to the full moon for the whole term."

"Right," Potter said. "I think he means, what are you going to say if somebody asks?"

**

_Dear Lily,_

_We've managed to get a date for the wedding. It's during the Christmas Holidays, so you don't have to miss any school. I know you'd hate me if I made you do that. It's at Eleven O'Clock on the Twenty-Seventh of December, at the Cathedral down the road. _

_Oh, and you have to bring a date. _

_See you there,_

_Love Petunia._

Sighing, I put the letter down. I was getting used to the weekly letter from Petunia now. Each one had new information about her wedding. I guess the next one will be information on the reception. Probably at some obscure hall that I've never heard of.

And what was this about me having to bring a date? I hate my sister. There's nobody at this school that I even remotely like, and the ones that like me are the ones that I can't stand. I'd better hide this letter before Potter comes over to see what I'm reading.

"Dumbledore talked to me last night," Potter said, sitting down across from me.

"About what?" I asked.

"Penelope," he said, looking over to the Hufflepuff table, where she sat. I turned around too. She was looking at a letter, and wasn't looking very happy.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, already having an idea.

"I talked to Dumbledore, and we thought it was best to relieve her of her prefect duty. Remember, it's been two weeks since we went and saw him, and she still hasn't gone to her Friday patrol. I was asked to choose her replacement."

"Who is it?" I asked. I knew it would have to be one of my friends, but I wasn't sitting with them today. I was sitting with Remus, because we had been talking about Penelope not turning up to her patrols when the letter from Petunia had come.

Potter pointed towards the group of my friends. Bella was holding a letter from Dumbledore, and there was a smile etched on her face. I smiled to myself, Potter had made a good choice. Noticing me smiling, Bella got up from her seat and came down and sat next to me.

"I'm a prefect!" she said, waving her hands up in the air.

"Yeah, I know," I said. "Congrats."

"Congratulations Nikki," Remus said. "You deserve it."

"Does this mean we need to change the roster?" Potter asked me.

"Yes," I said. "I'll do it in Defence Against the Dark Arts. I've finished what we're working on."

"You mean you've got the jinx perfect?" Remus asked.

"Yes," I said. "I was told I could bring things for private study to my next class, which is today."

"Awesome," Potter said. I really should start calling him by his first name... "Are our shifts going to change?"

"I'll think about it. One probably will."

"Mine's not, is it?" Remus asked.

"I already told you I wasn't going to change yours. Oh, and Potter, I won't be able to make up roster for next term, so you'll have to do it."

"Why?" Potter asked.

"I have a prior commitment at home," I said. "I'm going to go upstairs and get the roster so I know what to change. See you later." I got up from my seat and dashed up to the common room. I grabbed the roster from the notice board and looked at the date for the next Hogsmeade weekend. It was this weekend.

I dashed back out again as the bell went. First class was Defence Against the Dark Arts. I sat up the back and worked on the roster, making sure to have Remus and Bella on the Friday. And I made sure that I put Bella's real name of Nikki down. Potter came and sat down next to me for the last five minutes of class, when he could do the spell.

"How did you get that spell perfect so quickly?" he asked me, taking the roster.

"I'm a genius," I said sarcastically. "How's the roster?"

"Looks good," he said. "We're on Wednesday and Monday?"

"Yes," I said. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No. I had training on Friday, so that's fine. Neither of the prefects are on the team, so that's all good."

Of course, I'd forgotten to ask Potter what time his stupid Quidditch training was. I saw it as quite a pointless sport, and the only reason I went to watch the school matches was because Ali was on the Gryffindor team, as Chaser.

"Good," I said. "Can I practice the jinx?"

"Sure," Potter said. "I think I saw Snivellus towards the front of the class somewhere."

"That's great," I said, pulling out my wand. Then I pointed it at Potter.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I just felt like it," I replied as the bell went. "See you later Potter."

**

Oh. My. God. Hogsmeade this weeked is busier than normal. I should have guessed... it's the last one before Halloween, so everybody is buying outfits and creepy things for playing pranks on people. The only reason I came was to try and find something to get Petunia for her wedding. I can't find anything. Maybe if I got them some Honeydukes chocolate.

No, that's too good for me to get her. And she probably wouldn't get any. I ended up buying some chocolate anyway, but for myself. Now, what has Petunia always wanted? She's always wanted a rabbit... a little bunny rabbit to call her own. That's a bit boring really. What if I got her a magical rabbit... Or a magical cat! One of those cat-kneazle crosses. Yeah, that would be cool. Then it'd be smarter than her. But I'd have to buy it closer to the wedding day.

Instead of buying the cat here then, I went to the Three Broomsticks with Bella, Ali and Mary. Ali was meeting her older boyfriend here, he'd already graduated from Hogwarts, and Mary decided to leave to go find her boyfriend, who was in Ravenclaw. So it was just Bella and me. We got two butterbeers and tried to find a spare table. There was one, right at the back of the pub. We made our way there, and were soon joined by none other than Potter and Black.

"Hey," Potter said, sliding in next to me. I tried to slide closer to the wall, but it didn't work. Sirius sat down next to Bella. "Tell me, are you two ladies in need of guys?"

"I'm not in need of a guy," I said. "Why do you ask?"

"Because we're both single at the moment, and we don't like it," Sirius said. "And we know you're both single, so don't even try to hide it."

"I have a boyfriend," I lied.

"Really?" Potter asked, hurt. "What's his name?"

"TJ Michaels," I made up. "He's a muggle."

"Oh," Sirius said. "Bad luck, James."

"How do you know him?"

"He was my best friend in Primary school, and we only see each other over the holidays. I write to him every week."

That wasn't exactly a lie... just the writing to him bit. I just hoped that Potter and Sirius wouldn't see through it, and that Bella would keep playing along.

"Does he know you're a witch?" Potter asked.

"No," I said. "But he knows I go to a boarding school in Scotland, so at least I've got an excuse for my absence."

"You know, he's probably cheating on you," Bella said.

I sighed. "Thanks for playing along Bella," I said. "Real helpful."

"Sorry," she said. "But one of them would have said it."

"But they're not my friends!"

"So you don't actually have a boyfriend?" James asked, perking up again.

"No, I don't," I said. "But no. I'm not going to go out with you. I would go out with the Giant Squid before I even considered thinking about changing that answer."

"Right," Potter said, and he looked at Sirius. "See you later Evans."

* * *

**There we go. Next chapter done. I hope you enjoyed it.  
**

**I've also got the chapter after this finished. So YAY!! That should be up tomorrow if mum isn't being a computer nazi.**

**Review thanks toooooo: Pigtails, Roses, BettyCrocker, oHmYgOdNoWaY, aaanndd... no wait, that's it.**

**And well done to BettyCrocker who got the time of the wedding correct!! Partly. Well done.**

**Please Review =] **

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	5. Shed a Tear

"Okay class," Professor Jumberlin said. He was our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. For some reason, the teachers never lasted more than a year at the school. There was a rumour going around the school that the job was cursed, but not many people really believed it.

"This holidays, I would like you to work on a project in pairs. You'll need to research the history of the Patronus charm, write a report and a speech on it, and prepare a poster for the class. I would also like you to try and get the jist of the spell. It's a really useful spell to have in your arsenal."

I put my hand up. "Yes, Miss Evans?"

"Professor, do we get to pick our partner?" I asked, hoping he'd say yes.

"No," he said. "I've picked your partners for you. Miss Evans, you're with Mr Potter."

I shot Potter a look of deepest loathing. I just had to be partnered with him didn't I? We worked together enough for our Head duties, but now we had to work on a Patronus project together! I wasn't even free that much these holidays. Petunia would have a fit.

"So that means that Mr Black, you're with Mr Snape."

Sirius groaned, and so did Potter. "Why do you have a problem with Black being partnered with Snape?" I asked when the class had been dismissed. It was the last day of the school term, and everybody was heading down to dinner.

"Sirius ran away from home a few summers ago, and he lives with us now. If Snape's going to be partnered with him, that means that he's probably going to be coming over our house."

"Well, please don't have us over on the same day," I said.

"Who said we're going to be doing at my house?" he asked.

"I did," I said. "My sister's afraid of magic, and she'll freak out if I bring a wizard over."

"Fine," Potter sighed. "How about you come over on the middle Sunday... Christmas Eve."

"I'll be there," I said. Now I'd just have to tell Petunia I wouldn't be able to help her sort out her wedding that day.

**

Today is the day. The day of what? Saturday: the day I go home to my sister... who is getting married. And the only reason I'm going to the wedding is because I stupidly agreed to be her Maid of Honour. Yeah, I get the short end of the stick. Oh, and she said that I _have_ to bring a date. I'm not dating anybody, but I'm not going to show up without one... maybe Potter would oblige. Maybe? No, he'd be happy to, and that's my problem. I'm not going to ask Rem... he's 'time of the month' is the same day as the wedding. Black: I'd rather not, because Potter would get angry and Pettigrew? Let's just say that that Giant Squid is more appealing right now.

At the moment: I'm at the front door of my house. I knock gently, hoping they hear me. I would apparate into the house, but Mrs Eighty-Five is looking at me weirdly through her window... Yeah, I'd rather not blow my cover. I hear footsteps on the other side of the door. It sounds like an elephant is walking across the floorboards. There probably is. Sure enough, as soon as the door opens, I'm greeted with it's ugly face.

"Evans," it practically snarls. OK, what have I done this time?

"Dursley," I say, trying to match his tone. It's even colder.

"What do you want?"

"I would rather like to be allowed access into my own house, Vermin," I said. He looks at me blankly, waiting for me to spell it out for him like I would for an idiot, which he probably is I remind myself. "I would," pause, "rather like," another pause, "to be allowed," yet another, "access into my," you're getting the picture aren't you? "own house, Vernon." Finally finished.

"You don't live here," he said. "You live at that school..."

"I live here when I'm not at school, so just let me in!"

He wasn't going to budge. "Petunia!" I called. "Can you please tell your fiance to get out of my way!" I had that dangerous edge to my voice, the one that results in her rushing to the door before I can hex somebody. Shame... I would have taken pleasure in hexing Vernon Dursley...

"Lily, how are you?" she hugged me nervously.

"Ah, I'd be better if I could breathe," I said. In her nervous state, she was hugging me too tightly. She quickly realised and let go.

"Sorry," she said.

"It's okay," I said, sitting down on the couch. "I'm good... Potter's been asking me out three times a week, as usual."

"Why don't you go out with him?" Petunia asked. I shouldn't have told her. She's really in on the latest gossip.

"Because he's an arrogant jerk who only cares about himself and his stupid Quidditch -"

I stopped. I'd forgotten that Vernon was still in the room. My eyes went wide at the same time as Petunia's, and we both knew that I'd been about to spill.

"What's Quidditch?" Vernon asked with curiosity.

"It's the name of his football team," I lied easily. Petunia let out a breath of relief, and I was safe to talk again.

"Is his team any good?" Vernon asked. Seriously, I'd never think of Vernon as a follower of a sport of any kind... unless eating his fiancee's family out of heart and home was counted as a sport.

"It's alright," I shurgged. I didn't want to tell him that they were brilliant, because then he'd probably ask me about plays or something, and I didn't know enough about muggle football to know what he'd be talking about. "I don't really watch it much... I don't like half the member's of the team."

"Who's on the team?" Petunia asked. She really wasn't helping the whole 'keep-it-a-secret' thing.

"Do you remember that Black guy I was talking to you about?" She nodded. "He's on there, and so is Ali. I don't know the rest of the people."

"Cool," Vernon said.

"Look, can we get off the topic of my almost arch nemesis' football team?" I asked.

"Okay," Petunia said. "So who are you bringing to my wedding?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "Before you say anything, no, I'm not bringing Potter or Black."

"I was going to say that Snape boy that you're friends with."

"I haven't been friends with him since the end of fifth year," I said, turning away. I was always touchy when the topic of Severus Snape came up. I knew he liked me... like, _like_ liked me, and I was only realising that now. That's why he'd called everybody else Mudbloods, but not me.

"Oh," Petunia said. "Well, what about that Lupe kid that you talk about sometimes?"

"He's got... something else on," I said. "He can't come."

"Well, maybe I can arrange for somebody to go with you," Vernon said. "I've got heaps of friends."

"No, it's okay," I said. "I've got to go over to some people's houses over the holidays to work on a group assignment, so I'll get some advice from them."

"Any boys?" Petunia asked automatically. She really was too nosy for her own good... but then, I was a little bit too.

"If you must know, I have to work on a Def – English assignment with Potter. And Black lives with him since he got kicked out of home, so I'll be seeing him too."

A smile broke out on Petunia's face.

"No," I said, knowing her thoughts. I didn't have to be a Legilimens for that. "Listen, it's late, I've had a long day, and I just want to go to bed."

"Okay," Petunia said, and finally let me go. When I got up to my room, I proceeded to immediately unpack my trunk. Then I went over to my phone and rang up Bella.

"What's up chookie?" she asked. She'd gone home for Christmas too. In fact, I think most of the seventh year had, because of this group project.

"Ugh," I said. "Petunia's not letting me get away with not having a date. I mentioned Potter and Black, and now she wants to act as matchmaker."

"Eew," Bella said. "That sucks... when are you going over to your partner's house for the Defence Against the Dark Arts assignment?"

"Christmas Eve... Now I just have to dodge Tuney."

"I really feel sorry for you."

"Who's your partner?"

"Lupin," Bella said. "He said he won't be able to do it for the whole of the second week of the holidays, but he won't tell me why. There's something really weird with that kid. Like he's keeping a secret from the world."

I kept my mouth shut tight, not wanting to say that I knew what it was. "Maybe he's just not ready to tell them," I said. "Just like I didn't tell anybody at school that the witch was getting married."

**

I apparated to the safe point that Potter had told me about. Just five seconds ago, I'd been standing in my bedroom, telling my sister that I'd fix up my bridesmaid's dress when I got home. I took in my surroundings. I was overlooking a town, which was covered in snow, and I saw all the people walking around with last minute Christmas shopping. I smiled to myself and walked down into the small village.

There's a graveyard right in the corner of town, behind the Church. If there's a Church it means that this is a muggle town. Potter, in a muggle town? There's something you don't imagine every day. I looked again down at the piece of paper I was holding. Reading the address, I realised it was way over the other side of the town. Well, it was a good thing I was wearing warm clothing.

A few people asked if I was new in town. I said I was just visiting a – God forbid – friend. A few people were in the pub, but the majority were in the town hall, sitting around a warm fire. I kept walking, until I found the address I was looking for. I pushed open the gate and walked straight up to the front door.

"Lily!" Potter said as he tore open the door. I should've guessed he'd be waiting near the window.

"Potter," I said, and walked into the house. "Shall we get started?"

"Not straight away," he said and invited me into the lounge room. Well, it was cosy. "Have a little bit of relaxing time first."

"Potter, I only have time to work on the assignment. I have to be back home before three otherwise my sister will kill me."

"Why would she kill you?"

"One word: Bridezilla."

"I don't know what that means," he said. Of course, of course Potter wouldn't get the muggle reference. Guess I'd have to explain it.

"There's a muggle movie called Godzilla, and it's about a monster," I started off.

"Movie?" he asked.

"It's like a whole heap of magical photos put together in chronological order, and they talk," Sirius explained, coming into the room.

"Thank you, Black," I said, trying to find where I was up to in my explanation. "Okay, so there's this movie called Godzilla about a monster... pretty much. And there's this time just before a wedding when the bride will turn really nasty and cranky, and you really don't want to get on her bad side. When she's like that, you call her Bridezilla."

"Oh," Potter said, comprehension clear in his eyes. "So your sister is getting married?"

Shoot! I didn't want to let him know. "Yes," I sighed.

"Oh, it'll be a muggle wedding," Sirius said. "That means they'll all be acting like idiots."

"Cool," James said. "Can I come?"

"I wanna go!" Sirius said.

"You can't go!" Lily said.

"Why not?" they both complained.

"Because... I don't want you there!" Lily blurted out.

"But you'll need a date," James said.

"No I don't," I said automatically, giving my lie away.

"Let me go Lily," he said. "I'll be good, I swear."

Sirius left the room. I looked around me, making sure he wouldn't hear. What was I about to do? "Fine, you can come," I said. "It's on the twenty-seventh, and you'll have to be there at 11:00. It's at the Sussex Cathedral, and it's formal wear."

"Okay," he said. "Do I have to bring a present?"

"No," I replied. "I've figured out what I'm going to do for a present."

**

Petunia was having a panic attack. The make-up artist she'd booked managed to get glandular fever, and nobody else felt confident enough to do it.

"Alright, everybody clear out!" I called to the room. Petunia sat on the stool, crying her eyes out. "Petunia?"

"What do you want, freak? Do you realise that my day is now ruined?"

"It's not," Lily said. "At least, it's not if you'll let me do something you would normally frown on me doing..."

"Like what?"

"I was thinking, maybe I could do your make-up... with the help of a few spells."

Her head snapped up. "Please," she said. "I will do anything if you'll do it."

"Okay," I said. "I just need to dash upstairs and get the book. I'll be ten seconds."

She nodded enthusiastically and I dashed out of the kitchen to go and grab the book that Bella had gotten me for Christmas on make-up. I never wore it, and I didn't think I'd ever find a need for the book, but it turns out that some things can be blessings in disguise. About one minute later I came back into the room with the book in my hands. I put it on the kitchen table and bent down to grab my wand out of the wand-holder I had it in that was strapped to my leg. It was hidden underneath the folds of my dress, which was a pale, baby pink. Like I imagined, Petunia had gotten it just right if she'd wanted it to clash horribly with my hair.

"You had your wand on you?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "I don't go anywhere without it. Now hold still." I opened the book to the relevant section, and after about ten minutes, I had done her make-up perfectly. I handed her the mirror.

"Lily," she said. "Thank you soo much! I owe you heaps for this!"

"Don't worry about it," I said. "What about the rest of them?"

"Oh, I had a different make-up artist for the bridesmaids. Do you want to go out there and wait for your turn?"

"Okay," I said, sighing. I sent the book back upstairs, and led Petunia out to the other room after placing my wand back in it's holder.

The ceremony went according to plan, and I even shed a little tear when they kissed, and became husband and wife. But I don't think it had anything to do with being happy for my sister. I think it was more me being upset that I had Vernon as a brother-in-law. As I followed them out of the Church, I saw Potter sitting in one of the pews looking lonely. I smiled at him, him being the only one who knew about me that wasn't concerned with how my sister's day went.

* * *

**There it is, hope you like it.**

**The next chapter has the bit from the summary in it!!! =]  
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**


	6. Butter Beer

"Lily, what did we get Petunia for her wedding present?" Potter asked. We were sitting at the 'table of honour' at the reception, which, as I predicted, was in some obscure hall. But it had been decorated nicely, even though I felt an urge to make the whole thing go to pieces with magic, and Petunia wouldn't even be able to blame me for it... she'd have no proof. But I'm not that mean.

"We're giving it to them when they get back from their honeymoon," I told him for what felt like the umpteenth time. "We need to go on a little shopping trip for it."

"Does that mean you haven't decided what to get them yet?"

"No," I said. "I decided what I was getting them ages ago, at the last Hogsmeade weekend. I'm going to get them a cat-kneazle cross."

"Oh," he said. "Is that wise?"

"No," I said. "That's the point. She wanted a bunny, but you can't get anything magical with bunnies, so I decided to get a cat."

"Oh," he said again. "You look really beautiful by the way."

Me? Beautiful? At this current moment in time. Sure I do. That pink dress I was talking about was still clashing horribly with my hair. I highly doubted I looked beautiful.

"Thank you," I said anyway. I felt myself going red and drank from a glass of water. Potter picked up his champagne flute and drank from it, not knowing what the liquid inside was. He promptly spat it out over the table.

"What is that?" he asked, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

"Champagne," I said, trying to hide my laughter.

"What's in it?"

"I don't know, but it's a muggle alcohol."

"Can you stop calling us that?" Petunia asked. I was sitting on her left, and Potter was on my left. "It's bad enough you bought one of your kind to my wedding."

"Well, you told me to bring a date," I hissed, "and I didn't want to be lumped with one of Vernon's friends... I don't even know who they are."

"You really should start being a bit nicer to him," she said. "He's your brother-in-law now."

"Yay," I said, quite sarcastically. "What I always wanted, an elephant for a brother."

Potter laughed at this, but Petunia gave me the evil eyes. "You know, you really are quite insolent," she said to me.

"You know, I'm also in possession of my wand," I hissed back under my breath, coldly.

"Right," Petunia said. She stopped hassling me.

I was just about to get up when the DJ announced that is was time for the Bridal waltz. Petunia and Vernon got up and went to the dance floor. I rolled my eyes as they looked lovingly into each other's eyes. _You Light Up My Life_ by Debbie Boone started playing, and although it was my favourite muggle song, I couldn't bring myself to like it at the moment. Because soon I would have to go up and dance with the Best Man, who was named Peter Polkiss, and was quite large, and obnoxious.

I sighed and got up, taking his hand and going out to the dancefloor. Then he decided to start flirting with me.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I'm seventeen," I told him, telling myself that my wand was strapped to my leg if I needed it.

"You look beautiful... How come I haven't seen you before?"

"I go to a boarding school... in Scotland."

"Oh," he said. "So you're still in school... How's that going for you?"

"Fine," I said. He spun me around so I was looking at Potter. 'Help me!' I mouthed, pointing at Polkiss. He laughed at me, so I glared at him, but he got up from his seat anyway, and came and tapped him on the shoulder.

"May I?" he asked, and offered his hand to me. Peter Polkiss looked upset, but he obliged, and I gladly took Potter's hands.

"Thank you," I said. "He was creeping me out."

"I thought you were enjoying it," he said sarcastically. I glared at him.

"I thought you were mature," I snapped back. Both laughing, we continued dancing. "You know, this is my favourite song."

"Really?" he asked. "What's it about?"

"It's about a girl, and she's waiting for somebody to come and sweep her off her feet, and then she meets somebody who is her everything."

"Nice," Potter said. "That's what your sister chose?"

"Yes," I sighed as the song finished and everybody clapped.

"This is for all the people in the audience who like to dance!" The DJ announced. Potter got a sly smile on his face.

_Dancing Queen_ by ABBA came on. I love the song. But Potter was going to make me dance to it, with him. Can my day get any worse?

"I swear to God Potter, I will hex you once we get back to school."

"Looking forward to it," he smiled as he took me in his arms and we started to dance. I sighed and smiled in spite of myself. Potter really was quite persistent, and he was the only person here that I actually even remotely liked, apart from my parents.

**

It was much later that night, when everybody was either drunk or asleep, when I went to sit outside by myself. Petunia and Vernon had already left for their honeymoon, they'd done that about an hour ago, and some of the other couples were kissing. Petunia's best friend had caught the boquet, and she was already planning her wedding, but she was drunk, so she probably wouldn't remember anything.

I looked up at the full moon and thought of Remus. I really felt a bit sorry for him. He was somewhere away from here, as a wolf, not being in control of himself. I thought to myself what I would do if I was in his position and shuddered. I just hoped he was okay. The stars were really quite beautiful tonight, and I couldn't help but notice that the Sirius star was shining quite bright. I sighed. What was my life coming too, when I thought of the Marauder's more than I thought of my friends?

Speaking of Marauder's, at that moment, James Potter came out into the garden I was in with a bottle of beer. I looked at the bottle for a moment: it's brand name was Butter. I put my head in my hands and sighed. James Potter had asked for a butterbeer, and what he'd gotten was a beer that was named Butter.

He took a swig of it as he came and sat down next to me. "This is the worst butterbeer I have ever tasted."

"That's because it's not butterbeer," I said, taking it off him. "Muggle's have this alcoholic drink called beer, and this brand is called Butter. It could only happen to you, couldn't it?"

"Yup," he smiled. He took the beer back. "Now I said it was the worst butterbeer I'd ever tasted, but I didn't say that it tasted bad. It's actually quite nice. I might have another one after I finish this."

"I'll be apparating you home drunk, won't I?" I asked.

"Probably," he said. "But it will be so worth it."

I rolled my eyes. This was probably the first muggle thing that Potter had ever gone to. I asked myself why I was hanging out with him, and then reminded myself it was because we were the only magical people there, and probably the only sober ones apart from my mother.

"I hope Moony's okay," he said, looking up at the moon like I had. "Usually Padfoot, Wormtail and I are with him."

"You know, I figured out what all your nicknames meant," I said. "Sirius' is Padfoot, and that's because he transforms into a dog. Yours is Prongs, and that's because you turn into a stag, and I actually don't know what Peter's means."

"How did you figure that out?" he asked.

"Well, you see, when Remus has his... time... I noticed that you guys disappeared at the same time. One night, I was looking out the window when I saw a wolf, and a dog and a stag. I immediately thought of you, and I kind of saw you transform..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, shock evident on his face.

"Well, I didn't think you'd want me to know," she said. "It is illegal after all."

"It's okay," Potter smiled. "I really wanted to tell you, but Pads wouldn't let me. Remus wanted to, but neither of us wants to get Pads angry. I'm glad you know."

"Alright then," I said. "Come on, let's go back inside."

**

"Are you coming Lily?" mum asked. It was the end of the night, and James was so drunk that he could barely move. She was going to give me a lift home, as well as dad. Like me, she hadn't had any alcohol tonight.

I glanced towards the almost unconscious figure of James Potter and thought of something. "Mum, I might apparate home, if that's all right with you. I don't trust myself to drag him to the car, and it's quicker anyway. I don't think I want to take him to his own house tonight, so is it alright if he stays with us?"

"Yes," mum said. "He can have Petunia's room."

"Alright," I said. "See you soon mum."

She left out of the main doors, and finally I was the only person left. Apart from Potter and the people who worked there. Now, how to get Potter out of sight of these Muggles so I can apparate him home? I sighed and put one of his arms over my shoulder and helped him up. I walked him out to the street, and led him over to a patch of bushes, out of sight of everyone and everything.

I grabbed on to him tight, and closed my eyes, thinking of my bedroom. I wasn't going to put him in Petunia's room. I spun around, focusing on that one spot, and when I opened my eyes, I was there, with Potter holding on to my arm. I grabbed him and laid him down on my bed. My room was filled with Gryffindor paraphenalia, and I knew he'd feel more comfortable there than in my sister's baby pink room. Puke-worthy. There was a red couch on the same wall as the door, and I decided that's where I would sleep.

I crept downstairs to grab Potter some spare pillows, and a blanket or two... It was quite cold at the moment... there had been snow at the reception, and there was snow outside. I heard mum and dad pull up outside, and I put the bedding down on the kitchen table to go let them in. Dad had been drinking heavily, so mum was carrying him in, and she set him down on the couch near the door. He'd probably be sleeping there tonight.

I reached down to grab the wand from it's spot on my leg and summoned one of the pillows from the cupboard and gently placed it under his head as mum lay him down. She smiled at me and then made sure all the doors were locked and went to bed. I sighed and went back to the kitchen and got the bedding I'd set down before.

When I crept up to my room, Potter was awake, and he was staring around the room with wonder. I shook my head at him and walked over to grab my pillows from underneath his head and replace them with the ones I'd gotten out of the cupboard. I did the same with the blankets that were on the bed, and I put everything onto my couch. Then I told Potter to go asleep.

He wouldn't. He insisted on making conversation.

"You know," he said. "Lily, I've loved you from the very first moment I saw you."

Um, had James Potter really just said that? He probably did. Was James Potter asking for a slap in the face? That's what he usually got.

No, I wouldn't do that, I decided. After all, he was drunk and he probably didn't know what he was saying.

"James," I breathed. What did I say to him? 'Uh, sorry, you're drunk, so maybe you should just go to sleep'. No, that would be stupid. Finally I decided. "I love you too, James." I whispered, stroking his hair. Slightly creepy I will admit.

He fell asleep then, and I walked over to the couch, thinking about the last words I had said. They were burning themselves into my brain, and I realised that what I had just said to him was true. I really did love James Potter.

What was wrong with me?

* * *

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	7. Cocoa Pebbles

I dreamt of James Potter that night. I didn't really, but that's what one's supposed to say when they've just realised they've loved someone and then gone to sleep. It's breakfast in the Evans' household, and my father is still asleep on the couch, mum's still asleep in her bedroom, and James is still asleep in my room. I'm eating some sort of muggle cereal that tastes like chocolate. Apparently it's Vernon's, but I wouldn't want it to go stale... hehe. He's coming back in three days time, on New Year's. Him and Petunia have gone to Hawaii for two days. That's two days without them! But I still have to live with them for the end of the holidays.

An owl tapped on the window when I was in the middle of a mouthful. I recognised it as Sirius' owl, and opened the window for it. I gave it some owl feed, which it nibbled on as I read the letter.

_Evans,_

_I can't believe I'm writing to you, but where's James? He said he'd be home by the morning, and home he's not. I know he was with you at your sister's blasted wedding, so if you have any idea where he is, please tell me now, or you'll be getting hexed at the first available opportunity._

_Sirius (or, as you like to call me, Black)._

I grabbed a pen and some muggle paper and started to write a reply back. Here's what it looked like when I'd finished.

_Black._

_James is at my house, because he got unbelievably drunk on some muggle beer, and I didn't trust him to apparate home on his own. And I really didn't trust myself to drag him across that town of snow you happen to call home. So stop worrying._

_Evans._

I was happy with that. I got his owl to take the letter to him, and continued on with eating my cereal. Which was almost soggy. Excellent. I heard some scuffling as somebody made their way downstairs, and I waited for them to find their way into the kitchen.

"Where am I?" James asked.

"You're at my house," I said, not looking up from my cereal.

"Why am I at your house?"

"Because, as I just wrote to Sirius, you got unbelievably drunk on muggle beer last night, and I wasn't going to drag you across Godric's Hollow. Not in that amount of snow. Did you enjoy my bed?"

"In fact I did," he said. "It's very comfortable." He looked around, and pointed to the bowl of cereal I was eating. "What's that?"

I grabbed the box from beside me. "Cocoa Pepples," I said. "It's Dursley's."

"Um, okay," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"It actually tastes quite nice," I said. "Would you like some?"

"I'd prefer Pixie Dust Crunch," he said, turning his nose up at it.

"I'm sorry, but last I checked, muggles didn't eat Pixie Dust Crunch. It's this or nothing."

"I'll have some toast thanks."

I finished the bowl and got some toast in the toaster for James. I was waiting for it to cook when he cocked his head to the side and looked at me.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" he asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Last night, you said that you loved me. Did you mean it?"

"You remember that?" I asked. "I thought you'd be too drunk to remember."

"Nice try," he said. "But did you mean it?"

"When I said it I didn't," I admitted. "But then I realised that I did."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, knowing I really did. Just then my dad woke up, with a grunting snore from the couch, and the toast popped out. I quickly buttered it for him, and pushed it across the bench while dad got his breakfast.

"Who's this?" Dad asked, pointing at James.

"This is James Potter," I said. "You met him at the reception last night."

"Oh," he said. "Hi," he said to James.

"Dad, you also met him the first time I caught the train to school... He was that boy from the station."

"Oh," Dad said again. Was he capable of saying anything else.

"You okay dad?" I asked.

"Hangover," he said.

"I could brew a potion for it if you like," I said.

"Hangover potions?" James asked. "Where have they been all my life?"

"In _Advanced Potion Making_, and if you ever opened your school books, you might know that."

"A potion sounds good right about now," dad said. I nodded and went upstairs to get my potions kit. Thankfully, I had everything I needed for the easiest and quickest one.

I dashed back downstairs with everything in my pewter cauldron, and then I placed it on the stove. I took everything out and opened the book to the recipe.

An hour later, the potion was ready, and I put some in a glass and gave it to dad. Then James wanted some too, so I gave some to him. Then I emptied the rest of it into a bottle that dad had lying around, so that if he ever needed it, he could have some.

"Just remember dad, you can only have five milligrams at a time."

"I won't remember that sweetie," he said.

"All right, I'll write it on the bottle."

**

"Welcome home!" I said to Petunia and Vernon, not really believing what I was saying.

"Thanks," Petunia said. "Now it's time for the unwrapping of all the gifts."

"I think mum put them up in your room. Would you like me to get them for you?"

"Thanks," Petunia said, and she went to go help Vernon get all the bags out of the car. I rolled my eyes, and did a quick spell to move things from upstairs into the lounge room. She'd never know, and if she did, she wouldn't tell Vernon. I delved deeper into the house.

"Oh, that was quick," Petunia said, looking at me.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I have to go buy something for school," I added. "I'll be back soon."

"It's a public holiday," Vernon said. "Shops are closed."

Not my shops. "Oh," I said. "Well then I'll just go over to Potter's house. We haven't finished that assignment yet. See you later."

I walked out of the house before my sister could call me back. I rushed down the street, trying to find an alley for me to disapparate in. I made a beeline for one, but just as I was almost there, I ran into somebody. None other than my 'boyfriend' TJ Michaels. Execellent.

"Hey Lily!" he said, excited to see me.

"Hey TJ," I said, feigning excitement, and feigning it well. "How's it going?"

"Good," he said. "You?"

"Great," I said. "I'm great. Listen, TJ, it's nice to see you, but I really have to be somewhere."

"Oh, where?"

"I have to – catch a bus, to a friend's house. We're working on an assignment together. It's due first day back."

"Where's your stuff?"

"It's at his house," I said. I had to say 'his', didn't I?

"A boys house?" he asked. "You know Evans, you amaze me. First you're home for Christmas, and then you're going over to boys houses for 'assignments'."

"You know TJ, it really isn't any of your business. The reason I'm home for Christmas in the first place is because of my sister's wedding!" I stalked off at this.

"Lily, I'm sorry," he said, chasing after me. "I didn't mean it like that. I know you had your sister's wedding. Shaun Polkiss was there. He's my best mate."

"Awesome," I said, not really caring. "Look, I'd better go, otherwise I'll miss my bus."

I set off again, but TJ Michaels still followed me. What did it take to lose this guy? "I'll come with you. I'd like to meet one of your friends."

"Fine!" I said, throwing my arms up in the air. "Come with me -"

_CRACK_.

No, I did not just disapparate. I looked over to the park to see Potter and Black standing there. I gave them a quizzical look and they just stared at me.

"What in Merlin's name are you two doing here?" I asked them, then covered my mouth with my hands.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing saying what in Merlin's in front of a muggle?" Black asked.

"You don't just apparate into the middle of a park!" I shouted. "Not in a muggle village anyway!"

"What on Earth is a muggle?" TJ asked.

"Never mind," I snapped. I turned to the two boys. "James, you're head boy, you should know better than that!"

"I know," James said. "But we didn't know where else to go."

"We need to get back to your house," Sirius said. "You have those vellietision things."

"Televisions," I said. "Yeah, come on."

I led them back to my house and rushed through the door, leaping for the TV. Petunia and Vernon were being lovebirds on the couch, and they were in the middle of going through their wedding presents. They snapped their heads up when they noticed I had come in with three boys.

Three boys? Damn it, TJ had followed us.

"Put it on the news!" Sirius demanded. I flicked to the first channel I could get to that had news, protesting that the news was never on at this time of the day.

"As you can see, this town has been completely destroyed," the newsreader was saying.

"Hold on," I said. "I recognise that town."

"Shh!" Sirius said, pointing to the screen. I watched the breaking news on the screen.

"This is believed to be the result of a surprise tornado, which also affected the riverside town of Rowena. It is unknown how many survived this freak of nature. Back to you Louise."

My mouth dropped open. "Rowena?" I asked. "As in Ravenclaw?"

"Yes," Sirius said. "The neighbouring town of Godric's Hollow."

"So this wasn't a tornado then?" I asked. Vernon and TJ looked dumbfounded at the exchange between the three wizards.

"That had something to do with... your lot?" Petunia asked.

"Death Eaters," Sirius snarled.

"My parents were still there," James said, his eyes going red. "I hate Death Eaters!"

"I bet you anything Bellatrix had something to do with it."

"Bellatrix is an annoying cow!" James spat. "My parents were there."

"What are we waiting for then?" Lily asked. "Off to Godric's Hollow?"

"Godric's Hollow is over the other side of the country!" TJ said. "You'd be lucky to get there before tomorrow night.

"Godric's Hollow it is," James said.

"Outside," I said, eyeing Vernon and TJ. Sirius and James nodded and dashed outside. I followed, and the three of us disapparated on the doorstep, not caring if anybody could see us.

"It looks horrible," I said as we arrived at the safe point. We could see the muggle news crews down in the village.

There was rubble everywhere, rooves had been blown off and there was evidence of magic everywhere. This was no tornado. I ran towards the pay phone that was located near the end of the path: it hadn't been damaged. I quickly shoved in some of the muggle coins I'd had on me, and dialled my home number.

"Hello?" Petunia said.

"Petunia, it's Lily. Tell me, is the news still on?"

"Yes," she said. "Why?"

"Is Godric's Hollow on?"

"No," she said. "Why?"

"No reason," I said, motioning with my free hand for Sirius and James to go ahead and petrify the crews. "I'll talk to you later Petunia."

"Lily, where are you?" she asked, but I hung up before she made me answer. I ran over to help the two boys, and then we wandered through the town, surveying the damage. Finally, we made it to the Potter household.

I cautiously opened the gate and went up to the front door. I paused with my hand on the doorknob, an idea coming into my mind. I took my wand out of my left hand, and into my right.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked.

"_Homenum Revelio_," I said, pointing my wand towards the house.

"Well?" James asked.

"There's two people there," I said.

"Are they alive?" he asked.

"Of course they're alive!" I said. "If they weren't, the spell wouldn't have picked them up."

"Now, is there any way for you to tell if they're the Potter's, or if they're Death Eaters?" Sirius asked.

"The only way to find out is to go inside and see," I said. "You two stay here."

"No!" James said. "Let Pads go. As Pads."

"What do you mean as Pads?" Sirius asked, obviously thinking I didn't know what James was talking about.

"Actually James," I said. "That does sound like quite a good idea. They won't be able to tell will they?"

"I don't think so," James said. Sirius was looking between us, dumbfounded, his mouth wide open.

"Pads, off you go," I said, smiling.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about Lily?" he asked.

"Oh, just go ahead," I laughed. "I've known for ages..."

Sirius glared at me before transforming into the big black dog he became. He dashed into the house, and I was left there with James. He had been a bit relieved once I'd told him that two people were alive inside the house, but there was still that look of worry in his eyes.

"I'm positive it's your parents, James," I said. "They're smart. They would've done what you two did: disapparated, and then apparated back."

"I hope so," James said, putting his back against the closed door and sliding down. I sat down next to him.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," he lied. "I'm fine."

I wasn't going to say anything.

Nothing at all.

* * *

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	8. A Potion Brewing, Spell Casting Witch!

I was scared out of my skin when a large, black dog came bounding out of the house and licked James' face. Totally disgusting. James seemed happy though.

"Does that mean it's safe?" I asked uncertainly.

"Yes," James said, laughing, pushing Sirius off of him. The both of us got up and watched Sirius transform back into his human form. James reached for the door handle, but didn't seem to be able to open it. I gently took his hand away and opened it myself, going into the house first.

"James?" I heard his mother call. We went into the family room, the only room I'd been in so far. The minute she saw him she ran up and hugged him, kissing him all over his face. I couldn't help but laugh softly at him, and had to turn away. I was glad to see I wasn't the only one, as Sirius was doing the same.

"Mum, am I allowed to breath?" he asked as she continued to smother his face with kisses.

"No," she snapped. Sirius and I laughed even harder. Finally she stopped and called for her husband.

"Ah, so you boys are safe then are you?" he asked warily. I took a good look at him. His hair was a mess, and his robes were ripped. I noticed the same on Mrs Potter, and realised that they must have both been through a struggle before they escaped. I didn't mention this to James however, because he was just happy to see them. Sirius noticed though.

"James," I said. "I'd better go... I have some things I have to do. Do you want to come around my house tomorrow to work on the assignment?"

"Yeah, sure," he said. "See you then."

"Bye," I said. I waved goodbye to the four of them and trudged through the snow and up to the top of the cliff. Before I disapparated, I freed the camera crews.

I apparated into the lounge room. Where TJ, Vernon and Petunia still were. TJ fainted, and Vernon went into a minor bout of shock.

"Lily!" Petunia said, her eyes going wide. I didn't really care at the moment.

"Petunia, you have to get out of here."

"Why?" she asked indignantly. "Why should I have to take orders from a, a FREAK like you?"

"Because I don't want you killed!" I said. "As much as we don't like each other, I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to you. Please. Get yourself out."

"Can somebody tell me what is going on?" Vernon asked, recovering from shock.

"No," I said. "The more you know the more at risk you are. Just get out of here! Move house, go on holiday, I don't care what you do, just as long as you leave."

"I don't think I will," Petunia said. "I'm staying right here. Now what was all that about? Apparating into the lounge room?"

"I wasn't really thinking!" I said.

"That's obvious," she said. "Are you going to explain this to Vernon and TJ, or shall I?"

"I'll just modify their memories, that way I won't have to explain."

"Don't you dare do that to my husband!"

I realised I wasn't going to win this battle. I looked at Vernon, who was staring between me and Petunia with a blank look on his face. I whipped around when I heard a sound from behind me, but it was just TJ coming to. He saw me and then stepped back.

"Oh just sit down," I snapped. I turned back to Petunia. "I'll explain. Make yourselves comfortable everybody."

"Explain what?" Vernon asked. I noticed that he was looking exceptionally fat today. Oh well.

"I'm a witch," I said. That sounded like a good start. "A potion-brewing, spell casting, broomstick riding witch. Although the last one not so much. I'm a terrible flier."

"There's no such thing as a witch!" Vernon said.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Vermin," I muttered. I ignored his questioning look. "Anyway, all those times I've been off at boarding school in... Scotland... I've been learning magic."

"How can you, there's no such thing!" Vernon said. I wasn't looking at him however. I was looking at TJ. He was deep in thought.

"You're realising aren't you?" I asked him. "All those weird things that happened at school... you're putting the pieces together."

"If you think there is such a thing as magic, and you are a witch, why don't you prove it?" Vernon said.

"If you go look in the freezer there's a hangover potion that I made the morning after the reception."

"Nice try," he said. "Do your.... magic."

He said the word with utter dislike. Whatever. I pulled my wand out of my pocket and pointed it towards Vernon.

"Don't you dare," Petunia said to me, her words like ice and her glare like daggers. I guess I wasn't going to get it done that way. And I thought I would finally get my chance to hex Vernon Dursley. Oh well. I looked around the room at something else I could do. Something not too difficult. The fireplace was empty. No wood, no fire. A smile broke out on my face.

"_Incendio_!" I shouted, pointing my wand towards the grate. A fire broke out and Vernon jumped back... I suppose TJ did a little bit too, but not as much.

"Great," Petunia said. "Now get out of this house... NOW!"

"No," I said. "If you two are going to be stubborn and not leave, at least let me talk to mum and dad."

"No," Petunia said.

"Well I'd like to see you stop me," I said. I stalked upstairs to my bedroom. Mum and dad were in the study, which was down the hall. I would pack my things first, which I achieved with just a wave of my wand. I changed the colours of my bedroom to neutral ones... red and gold weren't going to do anymore. Sadly, I closed my bedroom door for the last time.

I made my way down to the study, a tear forming in my eye as I realised what I was about to do. "Mum, dad," I said, getting their attention. "I'm leaving, and I don't think I'll be coming back. It's for not only my protection, but yours too. If you want to be even more protected, I'd suggest moving town, country, just as long as you're not here."

"Are you sure about this?" mum asked, getting up from her chair and hugging me.

"Yes," I said. "I have to do this."

"Alright," mum said, crying. "We'll miss you sweetie. Be safe."

"I'll try, mum, I'll try."

Now it was dad's turn to hug me and cry. I stayed there with them for a few minutes, not telling them were I was going to go. I didn't even know myself yet, but a few plans were forming in my mind. I was thinking either The Leaky Cauldron, somewhere in Hogsmeade, or Ali's. Then I finally left, not even bothering to say goodbye to my sister and her wretched husband. Once I was out in the street, I spun around on the spot.

I found myself outside Ali's house. I knocked on the door, and waited almost a whole minute before somebody opened it.

It was Ali, looking extremely flustered and red. I gave her a questioning look.

"Franks over," she said. Frank Longbottom was her boyfriend. Gross.

"Oh," I said. She spied my trunk.

"Lily, what's wrong?" she asked.

"The Death Eaters attacked Godric's Hollow, and James' parents were almost killed. I realised that if I stayed at home any longer, I'd be putting my parents and my sister in danger. Can I stay here for a while?"

"Of course," Ali said. "Come in. You can have the spare bedroom."

"Thanks so much," I said, pulling my trunk in. I didn't really bother unpacking my trunk, seeing as there was only tomorrow left of the holidays, and the next day we'd be on our way back to Hogwarts. After dinner I went straight to sleep, wondering what my family was doing right now.

**

Ah, the Hogwarts Express. I really did love this train. It was the first leg on the journey of taking me back to the magical world. I found where Bella and Mary were, and Ali and I went to sit with them. About one, when the food trolley was doing it's rounds, two people dashed into my compartment. It was James and Remus.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The Slytherin seventh years are picking on Gryffindor first years," Remus said.

"And you need my help because..."

"Well, think about it, three Gryffindor guys, on like, eight Slytherins, thats not a very good match up. And you have that mean Stinging hex." Three? He must have been talking about Sirius as well. I panicked. Avery and Mulciber were renowned for cruel, and Severus wasn't that nice either, so I couldn't imagine what the first years were going through.

"Fine," I said. "Bella, you come too."

Bella got up and the four of us ran back to the site of the... incident.

"_Spiculum_!" I said, getting Avery in the face with one of my famous-around-Hogwarts stinging hexes. He stepped back, clutching his face, and the five seventh year Gryffindors that were helping out the younger ones started to jinx the Slytherins like crazy. "_Furnunculus!_" I shouted, hitting Severus with a boil hex. Now there was nobody left, so we got the younger Gryffindors out and saw if they were okay.

"What do we do now?" James asked as we walked away and locked the Slytherins in the compartment.

"Give them all detentions and write to their heads of house," I said. "Which is Slughorn..."

"Alright," James said.

"Bella, go back to our compartment and tell the others I'm with these guys. I'll be as quick as I can."

I followed James, Sirius and Remus back to their compartment so that I could start writing up detentions and that letter to Slughorn.

I was halfway through the letter when James broke the heavy silence.

"You know, I went to your house for that assignment yesterday, and you weren't there. Your sister said you'd moved out."

I hit myself in the head. I'd forgotten all about that.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I just forgot to tell you after everything. It wasn't my sister playing a mean joke on you."

"Why'd you leave?"

"I didn't want to put them in danger," I said. "They're my family."

"So where'd you go?"

"I stayed at Ali's house, but I'm not going back there."

"So, in other words, you have no idea..."

"Yes," I said, turning back to the parchment, which told James that this conversation had finished. We didn't speak again for the rest of the trip.

**

"Lily, are you okay?" somebody asked me at breakfast the next morning as they sat down next to me. I jumped out of my reverie and looked at who had disturbed me.

"Oh, hey Remus," I said. "What's up?"

"Are you okay?" he said. "You've been staring at James all morning. Which is not something you normally do."

"Have I?" I asked. "I hadn't noticed. How have you been?"

"I've been better," he said. "So James told me about your sister's wedding."

"How much about my sister's wedding?" I said, not putting it past James to tell him everything, including what happened that night and the next morning.

"He said that you had to dance with the best man, and that he had to save you... and then that you danced with him to a song called _Dancing Queen_. And a few other things, like that muggle beer."

"He told you about that, did he? Well, it's his own fault."

"I actually thought it was quite hilarious," Remus chuckled. "He said it was fun."

"Yeah, well, it was only fun when we were trying to figure out ways to ruin it without being detected... that and James almost putting essence of euphoria in the punch."

"He's always wanted to do that."

"Well, he would have if I hadn't been there to stop him. You didn't mind me 'stealing' him that night, did you?"

"Of course not," he said. "He told me you figured that out too. It's okay, Sirius was with me, and Peter."

"Alright then," I said. "Well, we'd better get to class."

"Yes, Defence Against the Dark Arts, here we come!"

"Don't be so bloody chipper about it... Jumberlin's going to make us do Patronus'."

I walked with Remus to Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ali, Bella and Mary came along a few minutes later, and James and Sirius a few minutes after that. Because of the project being a partner assignment, I had to sit next to James for the rest of the time we were doing the topic, which I guessed would be a long time, because not many wizards could produce a Patronus.

"So, who tried the Patronus over the break?" Jumberlin asked once he'd collected all our papers. Four people put their hands up: Sirius, James, Severus and a Ravenclaw girl named Jessica.

"Out of you four, how many managed to get a corporeal patronus?"

James and Severus kept their hands up. I looked sideways at him, a confused look on my face. How often did James get a spell easily? Perhaps not easily, but before most of the class. Then Jumberlin made us go into our pairs and practice the spell.

"So, Potter," I said. We were up the very back of the class, near Sirius and Severus. "What's your Patronus?"

"A stag," he said.

"Mines a big, black dog," Sirius said, poking his head into our conversation.

"How can you know that if you didn't get a corporeal Patronus?" I asked.

"Think about it for a minute Evans," he said. "James, Stag, Sirius, Dog..."

Realisation dawned and must have shown on my face, because Sirius laughed at me and turned back to Severus, who was still trying to figure it out.

"So Evans," James said. "What's with the last names? I thought we'd grown closer over the holidays."

"This is school, Potter," I said. "Traditions shouldn't change."

"Right," he said. "I did that prefect roster."

"Any problems?" I asked, and we both knew what I was talking about.

"One or two, maybe."

"Well, here's what will happen. I'll swap when necessary, and then he'll take my shift with you."

"That sounds like a great idea," James said. "Now, Jumberlin's coming, so look like you've been trying the spell."

I rolled my eyes and focused on a happy memory. I didn't even realise what memory it was, just that it filled me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. I lifted my wand and said "_Expecto Patronum_!"

Then something strange happened. A large silver doe erupted from the end of my wand and galloped around the classroom. Every member of the class looked at me as the doe disappeared and I lowered my wand.

"Jeez Evans," James said. "What memory were you thinking of?"

I looked at him, and the memory struck me. It was the memory of the night I'd realised I was in love with James Potter. I stood there staring at him for what felt like hours.

"Lily, you okay?" he asked, taking me by the shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Severus tense up at this, but it didn't really register. I was aware of the whole class still staring at me though.

"Professor, I think Lily needs to go to the hospital wing," Sirius said, breaking the silence.

"Right," Jumberlin said. "Mr Potter, will you escort our young Miss Evans up to the hospital wing?"

"Of course Professor," he said, and dragged me out of the classroom.

I was barely aware of him as we made our way up to the hospital wing, only his hand on my arm, steering me so that I wouldn't walk into any wall, or suits of armour. I wasn't aware of Madam Pomfrey fussing over me, or her pushing me into the bed.

James handed me a small glass with some sort of potion in it. "Drink it," he told me, and I did, not even bothering to try and see what it was. The last thing I remember before falling asleep was James taking the glass off of me and putting it on the bedside table.

* * *

**oh noes.... what's wrong with Lily??????**

**Don't worry, she's fine, she just went into a bit of shock. All is explained in the next chapter.**

**Anyway, I'm really beeecaaaauuuuuusssseee 1. It's a week until I get to see Harry Potter 6 =]]]]]]] 2. I'm looking at a horse skulling a bottle of whiskey (teehee) 3. I've had over 1000 hits for this story. ****Happy stuff**

**thanks to everybody who reviewed**

**Love Gabi xx****  
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	9. Problems

I woke up later that day. Just before lunch time to be exact. I woke up when Madam Pomfrey came around and was checking on all the inhabitants of the wing. Surprisingly, it was more than just me in there. I saw some second-years that appeared to have had mishaps in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and some students who had stayed over the Christmas holidays and were suffering from various cold-related illnesses. Madam Pomfrey spotted me and dashed over.

"Are you feeling better, Miss Evans?" she asked.

"Was there anything wrong with me?" I asked uncertainly. Of course I was uncertain. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking.

"Mr Potter bought you up here first period, and you were slightly catatonic. But as I can see, you're better now. You're free to leave."

"But, it can't have been that serious... What happened?"

"I don't know for sure. I'll let Mr Potter explain it, shall I?" She looked up to the person who had just entered the room. I spun around in the sheets to see that James had just entered the hospital wing. He rushed over to me.

"Is she okay?" he asked the matron, who had just darted off to see some of the second years.

"She's fine Mr Potter. She's allowed to leave." With that, Madam Pomfrey turned around, and the curtain closed around them.

"You have one hell of a lot of explaining to do," I hissed as I got out of the bed. He laughed at me as I fell out, but then he promptly helped me up. Many seconds seemed to pass as we realised that our hands were touching, but I quickly shook my hand away and turned to pick up all my things.

"It's lunch time," James said. "Are you going to go down to the Great Hall?"

"I suppose," I said. It was kind of awkward walking the corridors alone with James. It was a long walk down to the Great Hall... I wasn't sure if I'd be able to stand it all the way there. "So, what happened?"

"Well, Jumberlin was making us practice our Patronus," he started.

"That I remember. I remember making a corporeal Patronus, and then it's blank. So what happened after that?"

"Well, we all asked you what memory you thought of, because not many people can produce a corporeal Patronus their first time, and then you just stopped functioning properly."

"Functioning?" I asked. "I'm not a bloody robot Potter."

"What in Merlin's name is a robot?" he asked. I looked at him, chuckling. He was hiding something from me.

"You're not telling me something," I said.

He looked around himself nervously. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"You wouldn't stop staring at me," he admitted sheepishly. He went a little bit red, and it all came crashing down on me: what the Patronus was, what the memory was, and what the feeling was that was threatening to make me burst. Wait, that last one was new.

"You, James Potter, are a bloody arrogant jerk!" I said, stalking off.

"Wait!" he said, calling after me. "What did I do this time?"

I didn't reply. I was trying to get rid of this feeling. It only seemed to be around when I was alone with James, so if I got to where other people were, I wouldn't feel it anymore. If only it was that simple.

"Evans, please tell me what is going on," James said, catching up to me.

"No," I half-spat and turned to walk off again, but he blocked me with his arms.

"What was the memory?" he asked, his face an inch from mine.

"What I think of is none of your business," I said through gritted teeth.

"Did it have something to do with me?" His expression lightened hopefully. I rolled my eyes.

"Did I say that it was none of your business?" By now I was struggling to get him off.

"The first time I made a corporeal Patronus, I thought of the time when I realised that I was in love with you. It was after the Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL." I stopped, staring into his eyes. I'd yelled at him that time. Yelled at him because my then best friend had just called me a... no, I'm not going to say it.

"What did you think of?" he asked me.

"The night I realised I was in love with you," I said, looking away from his face and down towards the floor. "The night of my sister's wedding."

"That was what I thought of the second time I made a corporeal Patronus," he said, cocking his head back. He was about to ruffle his hair when he paused and a look of rage made it's way onto his face. I spun around, still in his arms, and saw Severus. Then I looked down and realised how close James and I were.

I knocked his arms away and stepped to the side. Which I soon found out was a bad idea, because Severus raised his wand. James was frozen to the spot, and made no move for his wand, so I pulled out mine.

"_Protego_," I shouted, making a wall between James and Severus. I was on James' side.

"You disgust me Lily," Snape said. "You said you would never hang out with trash like that!"

"I also said we'd never stop being friends, and that didn't work out too well, did it?"

He looked at me, apology in his eyes. "But you promised," he tried.

"That's the thing with promises," I said. "Easily made, easily broken."

"Is there something wrong here?" a loud, booming voice asked. I closed my eyes and lowered the spell, spinning around to face my Potions Professor.

"Nothing sir," I said quickly. Severus lowered his wand, and James seemed to unfreeze.

"Miss Evans," he said, his expression lightening up. "You missed my class today. Mr Potter said you were in the Hospital Wing. I was just going up to visit you."

"I'm fine, Professor," I said, going red. If I hadn't been part of Slughorn's stupid 'Slug Club' -

"That's alright then, isn't it. What was wrong with you?"

"She just got hit with a stray spell in class Professor," James said, touching my shoulder, telling me to go along with it. "I took her up to the hospital wing to make sure she was okay."

"Well aren't you a gentleman?" Slughorn asked him. I glanced over towards Severus to see him rolling his eyes, and trying not to laugh at James' ridiculous lie. I wasn't bothered. As long as Slughorn didn't ask too many questions.

"Well, you three had better get down to lunch. I myself am starving."

"Of course Professor," the three of us chimed. Chimed? More like grumbled in time. Professor Slughorn waved us goodbye and set off towards the Great Hall. Severus shot James and me another disgusted look and left.

"Shall we?" James asked.

"No," I said. "I'm going back up to the dorm. I'm not all that hungry."

"Lily, you need to eat," he said, taking my hand. I shook it off and turned to walk away. "I'm not letting you go! You're coming to the Great Hall with me!"

I realised I wasn't getting away from this. I let him drag me to the Hall, to the Gryffindor table, and he set me down with my friends. I determinedly looked away from him and towards my friends.

They were about to jump on me.

I put my head on the table and covered my ears, trying to tell them that I didn't want to talk. But that didn't work for too long. I felt their eyes on me and eventually I had to put my head up.

"What did you think of?" they all asked at the same time, and then fell into a fit of giggles. I rolled my eyes and looked down the table to where James was sitting with his friends. I caught James' eye, went red, and decided to turn back to my still giggling friends.

**

I had some serious problems. No, not really, but I had a some problems, not really serious. One problem: everybody in the seventh year was trying to figure out what memory I had thought of. I didn't really see it in James to tell anyone, even though he'd been really happy to know I'd said that. The second of my problems was that I'd just begun to realise how stupid I'd been to move out of home. I had absolutely nowhere to go, especially now that the only person I would think of going to was probably going to get hitched at any moment.

My third problem: I'd missed out on a very important Potions and Charms lesson today because I'd fallen in love with stupid James Potter. What a stupid thing to do! I was never going to get those lessons back, and then I'd fail my NEWT. Oh God, now I'm overreacting. Oh Merlin, now I'm saying 'Oh God'. What is wrong with me?

Now for my fourth and probably final problem. I was in love with James Potter. Now, you might ask why that's a problem. I'd look at you funny and then you'd probably run away. It's a problem for many reasons. One: I'd promised myself and other people that I would never fall in love with the arrogant toerag that was James Potter. Two: I'd now broken that promise, and would probably get ridiculed for going out with him (if I went out with him that is. No promises there. As I said earlier, promises are easily made and easily broken). Three: there was now the problem of whether or not I was going to go out with him, which I probably wasn't going to. And before you say anything, the wedding did not count as a date!

Four: I was probably going to be sent to the hospital wing. It was common knowledge around the school that I despised James Potter, and his best friend Sirius Black. If I just all of a sudden started hanging out with them, people would think something was wrong with me, or that James had finally lost it and given me a love potion. Five: I have this stupid thing in my chest that is threatening to make me explode, and I'm not even completely sure what the hell it is! Six: these problems are making my head too full to concentrate on my Transfiguration essay, which Professor McGonagall had told us was due in tomorrow.

Now do you see my problems with my fourth problem? And all my problems in general? I mean, getting a crush on him wouldn't have been that bad, but falling in love with him? I did not just say that! But still, that would be reeaaaallllly cruel!

Okay, time to concentrate on my essay. I can't concentrate on my essay. I know hardly anything about this stupid topic! James would know something about it. Now to just find him...

Oh wait, what is wrong with me? I go on about how falling in love with James is a major problem, and now here I am, wondering where the hell he is so I can ask him for help on my essay. Well, the only people I would really ask about this topic were James, Sirius and Peter. They were the only ones who really knew what an Animagus had to go through to become an Animagus.

I just got up to go up to my dorm when the portrait hole opened. The common room was nearly empty, so I spun around and tried to see who it was.

"Where have you been?" James asked as he made eye contact with me. His eyes were really nice looking. All hazel and almond shaped and -

"Lily, what is wrong with you?" he asked. "You were supposed to be on patrol and you didn't show up. Where were you?"

Oh crap! I forgot about the patrol. I'd meant to go to it, and I'd just left James there like an idiot. The idiot he is.

"I was working on my essay and I lost track of time," I said. "You should have reminded me."

"You're Lily Evans, Head Girl. You've never needed reminding of a patrol duty before. How on earth could you get sidetracked by an essay?"

"It's on Animagi," I said. "I started it and then I thought of you, and then I thought of all my problems that have been caused because I was thinking of you, and then I just couldn't concentrate on anything anymore -"

"Woah, Evans, calm down. Do you need help on the essay?"

"Yes please," I said, looking into his eyes. That feeling came up again. Threatening to make me explode. I groaned, and he looked at me, but didn't say anything. He dragged me over to the chairs by the fire and helped me with the essay.

How much of the essay I actually did that night I have no idea, but I had a feeling when I went to sleep that I should start expecting the worst Transfiguration grade I had ever received.

* * *

**i like this chapter, a lot, but i'm not sure if other people will love it. **

**i'm actually on my brother's computer so it's not going to be a long authors note**

**thanks to everyone who reviewed, thanks to everyone who is going to review..**

**next update should be friday, coz the next chapter is going to be lily's birthday, and it's my birthday on friday.**

**ohk review please!!**

**love gabi xx**

**PS: that was longer than i thought it would be...  
**


	10. Uh I can't think of a title Enjoy!

"Hey Lily," James said, rushing up behind me on the last Friday of January. I don't think he expected me to answer him, because he was very surprised when I turned around.

"What do you want, Potter?" I asked absentmindedly.

"I was wondering if you want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend..." He'd started out confidently, but under my glare he trailed off at the end of the sentence.

"You know, after all these years of you asking me out, I would've thought you'd learnt the answer to that question," I said.

"But I thought it might be different now," he said sheepishly.

"Well, I'm going with my friends this weekend." I turned away, and walked down the hall, not noticing the depression etched on his face.

**

"Jeez, what's up with you Evans?" Sirius asked me. I was sitting in the common room, trying to work on my Transfiguration homework. We were still studying Animagi, and we'd just finished the last week of working on them. Of course, Sirius and James were getting top marks in this module, much to my displeasure, and McGonagall's surprise, and Remus wasn't getting too bad either. I was doing horribly.

"This stupid topic!" I fumed. "It's the hardest thing I've ever had to grasp. How do you do it?"

"Determination?" he guessed. "I don't know, we did it in fifth year. I think we just really wanted to be with Moony at his... time, and so we just kept trying until we got it. We'd been trying since third year as well."

"Don't make me look bad," I said, pulling my book onto my lap. "Why are you still here?"

I'd noticed he'd picked up my piece of parchment and was looking it over.

"You've got all the questions right," he said, surprised, so I glared at him. "So I'm wondering, maybe you're fine with the homework, and you're just confused about something else..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Prongs asked you out again today..." he said.

"And I said no, as usual," I said, packing up my homework. I really did not want to talk about this topic. I was going to go to bed.

"Why did you say no?" he asked. I stopped. "Listen, everybody can tell that you're warming up to him lately, and I don't really know what's going on, but all the clues are saying that you like him. Why don't you just string him along. One date."

"Padfoot, it's none of your business who I go out with or what I say to them when they ask me, so butt out."

"Why did you say no?"

"Because -" I said.

"Because why?"

"Because it's my birthday on Monday, and I was going to celebrate with my friends in Hogsmeade." I paused for a moment. Earlier, after I'd said no to James, Alice had told me that Frank was going to be in Hogsmeade this weekend, and Mary had a detention so she couldn't go, and Nikki (Bella) was in the hospital wing... So really, I had nobody to go with.

"Where is James? I need to talk to him..."

"Kitchens," Sirius said. At my confused expression he elaborated. "We go down to the kitchens and get food for midnight snacks."

"Umm... okay?" I said. "That's the wackiest thing I've ever heard! How on earth do you get food from the kitchens?"

"The house-elves are really nice, actually," Sirius admitted. "He told me to stay here and he would go get the food. I saw you being all lonesome, and thought I might keep you company."

"Where's Remus?" I asked.

"Talking to old Dumbles I think."

"So how am I supposed to talk to James?"

"You can always wait up in the dorm. He'll turn up there eventually."

I glared at Sirius for a moment and then dashed up to his dormitory, Sirius right behind me.

**

The door opened cautiously, the person behind it not wanting to spill the food they had collected. Sirius motioned me to move behind James' curtains, where I wouldn't be seen.

"Padfoot, come help me with this... please," he said. Sirius laughed, pulled out his wand and summoned them to him, putting them on his bed.

"Oh, shut up," James said when Sirius started chuckling. "I would have if I could get to my wand. Thanks."

"No problem. Listen, I'm going to go find Remus. See you later!"

I made a face at Sirius, but James was two seconds ahead of me. He took a hold of Sirius' arm and stopped him leaving. "Just use the map."

What map? I asked myself.

"What map?" Sirius mirrored my thoughts, although he knew what James was talking about. I vaguely saw him motion towards me behind the curtain before he dashed out of the dormitory. James was left with a puzzled look on his face. He moved around his bed before collapsing onto it.

"OW!" I screamed out in pain as my leg snapped.

"Lily?" he asked, getting off of my now broken leg. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," I snapped, wincing when I tried to move my leg. "I was going to accept your offer."

"What offer?" Okay, so James Potter really was as stupid as he looked.

"Hogsmeade?" I asked, sitting on the edge of my bed to examine my leg.

"Oh," he said. "Uh, are you going to check your leg?"

"Yes!" I said, getting my wand from inside the robes that I was still wearing. "_Ferula_," I muttered, and a splint appeared on my leg. "I'm going to go see Madam Pomfrey. I don't trust myself to heal it by myself."

"I'll go with you," he said, helping me up from the bed. I was aware that I was in his arms, and his face was just inches from mine. The moment was interrupted by Remus coming into the dorm, and he quickly pulled one of my arms over his shoulders.

"Ah, Moony," he said. "Help me take Evans to the hospital wing."

"Okay," he agreed, taking my other arm. He seemed to have no question whatsoever as to why I was up in the dorm in the first place, so I suppose Sirius must have told him.

Note to self: Never break leg if not on fourth floor. Stairs are hell. Thankfully, I didn't really have to walk down them much, Remus and James carried me.

"Oh, what is it this time, Miss Evans?" Madam Pomfrey asked, bustling over.

"I was in the Common Room with my legs spread out on the couch and Potter accidentally sat on my leg, and it broke. I splinted it, but I didn't want to heal it in case I did it wrong."

"Good thinking Miss Evans," she said. "I'll heal it, but I'll keep you here overnight, just in case something went wrong with the splinting."

"Okay," I muttered as the Matron worked on my leg. "Uh, will I still be able to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Of course," she said. "I'll let you out at breakfast if everything's okay."

With that she bustled off, leaving me with Remus and James. I looked at them.

"Remus, can you go get somebody in my dorm to get a pair of pajamas?" He nodded and then left, leaving me with James.

"Do you still want to go to Hogsmeade with me? I mean, I can understand if you don't, it's just..."

"No, I'll go with you," I said hurriedly.

"Lily?"

"Mmm?"

"Why did you change your mind?"

"Because none of my friends are going to be with me," I said, a bit glumly. "Frank's going to be there, Mary's got detention and Nikki is.... in here, actually."

"Hey Lily, I can hear everything you say," she warned. I made a face at her, but she was behind the curtain, so she couldn't see. James had to muffle his laughter.

"Well then, I'll see you in the morning," he said, getting up and heading for the door. "Goodnight Lily," he added as he closed the doors.

"Night James," I whispered, momentarily forgetting about Nikki being behind the curtain. I was asleep by the time Remus came back with my pajamas, so I guess I slept in my robes.

**

I didn't end up going to Hogsmeade. I'd damaged my leg when I'd splinted it, which James had to laugh at, and Nikki got to leave at breakfast, which I didn't know she'd been allowed to do. So I spent most of my day in the hospital wing. I was allowed to leave the next morning.

I spent the entire Sunday in the library, finishing off all of my homework. And studying, especially the Animagi questions I'd been doing on Friday night. When I finally got back to the dorm, it was nearing curfew time, so I didn't talk to anybody, going straight to sleep.

**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Three people screamed, pelting me with muggle water balloons, which I guess Nikki must have bought.

"Eww," I said, opening my eyes and sitting up in the puddle of water that had formed around me. "You guys suck, you know that right?"

"Yes," Nikki said. "But you love us anyway."

The girl in the other bed groaned. We glanced at her for a few seconds before turning back and ignoring her for the rest of the morning. Alice dried my sheets and then handed me a stack of presents.

"Wait," Mary said as I put my hand on the wrapping paper of the first present. She reached behind her, to my bedside table, and pulled a tiara out, shoving it onto my head.

"Thanks, guys," I said, finally unwrapping the first present.

"Muggle fairy tales?" I asked, glancing at Nikki, the one who would have bought it.

"Happy eighteenth," she smiled, giving me a hug.

I unwrapped all the other presents, and found myself with so many books that I couldn't carry them, which was surprising for me. I quickly got dressed before going down to breakfast.

"Why are you wearing a tiara?" Remus asked as our group sat down next to 'the marauders'. I put my hand to my head before glaring at my friends.

"They gave it to me for my birthday," I said, taking it off.

"Keep it on Evans," Sirius said. "I like it."

"Yeah," James agreed. "It makes it look like you have a reason for being such a bitch."

Peter looked utterly conufused, and the six other people at the table shared a laugh. I was aware of my ears going red and I glared at Potter. "I am not! a bitch!"

"He was joking, Lily," Remus said. "Happy Birthday!"

"Yeah, Happy Birthday!" Sirius and James said, drawing everybody's attention to me.

I looked towards the Head table to see Dumbledore standing up. I groaned as he looked towards me. "Happy Birthday Lily," he said, and I was trying to stop my face from going red. "Everybody, let's sing Happy Birthday to our Head Girl."

I looked at James, who was laughing the hardest. And I tried to block out the sound of three houses singing Happy Birthday, as Slytherin definitely wasn't.

"You got him to do that, didn't you?" I hissed at James during Defence Against the Dark Arts. We were in the library, doing a study on Patronuses, and I had landed myself with James again.

"Yes," James smiled. "Happy Birthday Lils."

"Whatever," I said. "I'm sorry about Saturday."

"What was Saturday?" somebody asked as they passed our table. James face contorted into a look of rage, and I spun around to see Severus standing there, waiting for me to pay him attention.

"Oh, nothing," I said, although it was plain he didn't believe me.

"Right," he said. Man, this was really awkward. "Well, Happy Birthday Lily."

"Thanks Sev," I said, and he turned to walk away. James' expression softened a little. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't like him," James said. "I really don't."

"Well, he gets on my nerves a bit, but he's really a good guy that just hangs out with the wrong people, I suppose."

"You really believe that don't you?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, turning back to the book I was reading through.

"You're a very nice person," he said. "To see good in someone a big a git as Snivellus."

My anger flashed, but I kept it under control. That was a compliment.

"Thank you, Potter," I said.

The rest of the day went alright, I suppose. Professor Slughorn gave me a present, which I'd been expecting from him. It was a bottle of Felix Felicis, which he usually only gave as a prize to the first lesson of his NEWT classes. I thanked him profusely, and then escaped, saying I was going to be late for Charms. I got hardly any homework that day.

I was going out to the grounds to meet my friends when I heard something in one of the hallways, from an empty classroom. There were two people yelling at each other, and the voices were very familiar. I came closer, slightly confused. My confusion turned to alarm as I saw beams of light dart across the room. I pulled my wand out and ran towards the classroom.

"Lily?" they asked. I looked between them, upset, angry, and confused.

"Lily, what's wrong?" the Gryffindor asked. The Slytherin came forward.

"Get away from me!" I shouted at him. "Don't you come near me either!" I said to the Gryffindor, who had stepped forward slightly. I looked between them both again. "I can't believe this..."

I couldn't even finish my own sentence. I ran out of the room and up to the Gryffindor Common Room, which was empty today, because it was the nicest day outside. This was defintely the worst birthday I'd ever had.

**

I don't know when, but it was night time when I was woken up. Looking outside, I could only see beautiful stars. I wasn't on the chair I'd fallen asleep in. In fact, I don't even think I was in the Common Room anymore. That was a bit weird.

"Oh, you're awake," somebody said. I sat bolt upright, looking around for the voice.

"Who's there?" I asked, after I couldn't see anybody. Right in front of me, somebody pulled off an invisibility cloak. "Oh, it's you," I said.

"Look, I'm sorry about earl -"

"Don't wanna hear it," I said as I got up.

"LILY!" he yelled.

"No, Potter," I snarled. "Every time I think you've changed, you change my mind by going and doing something stupid! Do you know how it feels to have the person you're in love with be a complete arse?"

He shifted uncomfortably at that. I stepped closer to him, tears running down my face.

"No, you don't," I said. "So if I were you, I'd take a good hard look at yourself, and think about what you could change. Like, for example, not duelling Severus. I know you don't like him, but duelling can get you killed!"

"I know," he said. "I know. He started it though. He told me to stay away from you."

"I don't care who started it!" I spat in his face. "The point is you fought back." I took a few steps back. "Where am I?"

"Room of Requirement," he answered cautiously. I was still angry, and looked at him questioningly. "It's a room that changes depending on what the person using it needs. If you need a library, it will turn into a library."

I looked at him. Did he seriously just use a library example?

"If you need a hospital wing, it will turn into a hospital wing."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Because I wanted to apologise, and I didn't want you to yell at me in front of Gryffindor house. I really am sorry, I knew you wouldn't like it."

"You're a complete arse!" I yelled again. "You're in Gryffindor! Be brave, and be prepared to get yelled at in front of everybody!"

"Lily, you're even more adorable when you're angry," he said timidly.

"No time for flattery!" I said, unaware of how close we were. He leant over to a table and put something on my head. I put my hand up, feeling the tiara.

"When you ran off, you left it behind, and I picked it up. I thought you might like it back."

Then I did something I thought I'd never do. I got on my tiptoes, and kissed him, full on the mouth.

Definitely, the best birthday ever.

* * *

**See, I told you it would have her birthday in it!! Ahaha, I'M FINALLY SIXTEEN!!! YAY!!! **

**That means I can now legally, **

** - Drive a car with the supervision of a licensed adult over 25 years of age in the passenger seat**

** - Leave School**

** - Move out of home**

** - Do.... it.**

**And probably some other things that I can't really think of right now.**

**So, I hope you liked the chapter... I do!!**

**And Raindrops, I told you I would steal it!! ahahaha I can change it if you beg me too... but the original wasn't so exciting.**

**Or you could just let me keep it and then put it in your own story, so it looks like we both had a good idea =]**

**You won't deny the birthday girl her fun, will you?**

**ahaha**

**anyway, review, and make me happy!**

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	11. The Ghost

I have no idea why I did that. James kissed back, and we stayed like that for Merlin knows how long. Then I finally pulled away and saw the happiness in James' eyes. I stepped back, stumbling, and turned around, looking for the door. It appeared, and I ran through it, finding myself in a corridor I knew. I ran straight towards the Gryffindor Common Room without looking back. Finding it empty, I collapsed in my favourite armchair by the fire, my tiara falling off of my head and into my lap. I picked it up and held it in my hands, the memories of today coming back to me.

The water bombs being thrown at me, the many presents that were books, the Great Hall singing 'Happy Birthday' to me at Dumbledore's request, seeing Sev in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Slughorn giving me a present, Sev and James duelling in an empty classroom, falling asleep crying in this very chair, waking up in the 'Room of Requirement' and finally, kissing James. Altogether, a very confusing, but more than enjoyable birthday. Apart from the duelling part.

I heard the Common Room door open, but didn't turn around, knowing who it was. They came and sat in the armchair next to me.

"Evans?" they asked. I didn't look up. "Why are you crying?"

My hand flew to my face and felt the wet tears sliding down my cheeks. Why was I crying? I searched for the answer inside myself. It wasn't because I was upset... it definitely wasn't that... So then, why?

When I'd kissed James, I'd experienced the best feeling in the world. My chest had felt like it was going to explode, a tingling electricity had spread throughout my body. So I guess the answer to my question was...

"I'm happy."

"Why are you happy?" Surprisingly, the person talking to me now didn't sound like the annoying git he usually was. There was something different about him, and I wasn't sure if it had actually happened, or if I was imagining it. I looked up into those brilliant hazel eyes and saw everything I was feeling reflected there, almost like a mirror of my thoughts. No, not almost. Exactly.

His eyes were staring back at me, and I whispered the answer. "You already know," I said, quite cheesily. He leaned in close, and for a second I thought he was going to kiss me again.

"You need to get some sleep," he said. "You're not acting normally."

That just totally killed me. I thought the guy would be flattered that I'd just told him he'd made me happy. Then again, he was usually flattered that I even paid enough attention to him to know he existed. Wait, I really shouldn't say that.

"You're an arse!" I said, leaping up from the chair and storming up to the girls' dormitory before he could follow me. I fell onto my bed, feeling really bad for what I had just said to him, the person I loved. But for now, I would just go to sleep, and talk to him in the morning. I'd had too much excitement for just one day, even if it was the start of a new year of my lfe.

When I woke in the morning, I got dressed quickly, hoping to meet James before he got surrounded by swooning girls as he usually did some mornings. I was too late. When I reached the bottom of the staircase, he was near the notice board, a group of sixth year girls surrounding him, trying to get him to talk to them. He swivelled around, and spotted me across the Common Room. Breaking free of the girls, he came over to me.

"I'm sorry about last night," he said. "I just thought the real you wouldn't have done something like that."

"The real me wouldn't have let James Potter carry me to the Room of Requirement unconscious," I reminded him. "I think Real Me has gone on holiday."

"So, are we good?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"We're good," I said, hugging him and laughing. "You up for patrol tonight?" I asked.

"Actually..." he said, and looked around him nervously.

"Don't worry," I said. Tonight was a day before the full moon, too risky for Remus to be in the school, so James was going to be out. "I'll get Nikki to do it."

"Thanks," he said, and held out his hand for me to take. "Breakfast time."

I glanced at it tentatively.

"Too soon?" he asked.

"Yeah," I nodded as he took his hand away. "I'll see you later, James."

He took off as Remus and Sirius came out of their dorm. Remus looked like, there really was no other word for it, crap. Ah well. I stared after the three of them as they left the common room and Nikki came up behind me.

"Looking at Mr Potter, are you?" she asked, and I turned around to see her waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"No," I lied, and she didn't believe me for a second. "Hey Nikki, there's something I need you to do for me tonight."

"Yeah, sure," she said, getting a mischeivous grin on her face.

"I need you to cover Potter's patrol," I said, wiping the grin off of her face. "He's got permission from our dear Deputy Headmistress to be out of school for tonight. Don't worry, he'll do your next one for you."

"He better," Nikki said. "Why can't he just get Remus to do his patrol though?"

"Do you really want to be doing a patrol with Potter?" I dodged the question. I didn't think Remus would want Nikki to know quite yet. "Come on, let's go down to breakfast."

I didn't talk to James during any of our classes today, and he wasn't there during dinner time, and neither was Remus, Sirius or Peter. When I realised that he wasn't going to be around tonight, my stomach dropped a tiny little bit. I had a funny feeling something bad was going to happen tonight, and all I wanted was to have James with me, safe.

**

"You okay Lils?" Nikki asked as we wandered the seventh floor corridors, looking for any sign of wrongdoings. It was nearing the end of our patrol, thankfully, because the whole time, I had been thinking of James.

"Yeah," I lied, not looking at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I've been talking to you for the last ten minutes, and you've had no idea what I've said, have you?"

"Oh," I said. I'd really blown it this time.

"What's wrong?"

"I just... I think something's going to happen tonight, and I have a feeling it's not going to be good. I'm worried about James."

"Where did you say he was going again?"

"I don't know where he's going," I said, actually realising that I didn't know where he was going. How did they get Remus out of the school for full moons?

"You know what I think?" Nikki asked, abandoning the lookout she was keeping, and coming over to take my hand. "I think you've got an unbelievable crush on James Potter, and you're just worried that wherever he is, he's met some amazing girl and he'll start going out with her, and then he won't have you."

"That's ridiculous!" I cried. "I do NOT have a crush on James Potter!"

Of course, that was the truth. I didn't have some sort of school girl crush on James Potter. I was completely in love with him, and that was my problem. I had no idea what I would do if something terrible happened to James, especially since he was with an uncontrollable werewolf. What would I do if I never went on a date with him?

"You know you do," Nikki said. "Anyway, I hear you took him to your sister's wedding?"

"It was him, Sirius or that muggle guy that I now hate!" I defended myself.

"Why didn't you take the muggle guy?"

"Because, as I told James, I wanted to go to a muggle wedding with a wizard so we could take the piss..."

Nikki opened her mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by a long, loud howl. My eyes went wide, knowing exactly what that howl was. Nikki ran towards the window to try and see what was going on, but I ran straight for the great double doors that led out to the grounds. I heard Nikki run after me, and on the first floor the prefects on duty yelled at me as I flung open the doors, but I didn't care. Instinctively, I ran for the large Whomping Willow tree that had been there since my first year.

I don't know why I ran there, I just did. And it was a good thing I did, because out of it came a big, black dog that I recognised as Sirius' animagus form. On it's back, making my heart give a wild lurch, was James Potter. I ran over there, and pulled James off of Sirius' back, letting Sirius transform back into himself.

"What happened?" I asked, looking for a pulse.

"Moony attacked him. I fought back. You heard the howl, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah," I said as Sirius dropped down next to me. I located the pulse on James' neck, but it was very weak.

"How is he?" Sirius asked.

"Very weak," I said. I grabbed James' hand and squeezed, and he feebly squeezed back. "He's still conscious... we shoud get him up to the hospital wing." That made me think of something else. "Does Madam Pomfrey know?"

"Yes, but she promised not to tell anybody."

"So how do we get him up there?"

"With his invisibility cloak, duh."

I just looked at him as he reached down James' shirt and pulled out a silvery cloak, and an old piece of parchment. "Okay, they won't be upset if you're out of bed, because as Head Girl, it's only natural that you'd check out anything odd... so I'll carry Prongs under the invisibility cloak, and you'll walk back into the school.

I didn't think that was going to work, but at the moment, I only wanted to get James up to the Hospital Wing, so I nodded, and saw James and Sirius disappear under the cloak.

"I'll be right behind you," I heard Sirius whisper. "Don't look back, you won't see anything. Go."

**

"What happened, Mr Black?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she bustled around the Hospital Wing, looking for things that would help James.

"Well, Moony attacked him, and he turned back to himself."

"I'm sorry, you'll have to speak English," she said.

"Right. Remus attacked James, and James turned back to his human form. Then I attacked Remus, which was the howl, don't worry, he's fine. Then Peter helped me get James onto my back, and the three of us came through the Willow."

"Three of you?" I asked. "I don't remember seeing Pettigrew there."

"He immobilised the tree for me and then went back to Remus. Madam Pomfrey, please say he'll be alright."

"He will," the matron promised. "But you should get back to Remus before the morning. Will you be coming back to school tomorrow?" she asked.

"No," Sirius said. "Peter will, he needs it, and Remus won't. He'll be too tired. I'll stay with him."

"Then hop to it, Mr Black," Madam Pomfrey said. "I'll see you in a few days?"

"Of course," he said. He turned to exit, and on his way out stopped and leant into my ear. "I know you like him, it's obvious. Make sure he's safe."

I nodded and looked towards James, who was lying unconscious on the bed. A felt a tear escape my eye, but didn't bother wiping it off. I went and sat down in the chair next to him and took hold of his hand.

**

"Miss Evans," I heard a voice say. "You should get going. You'll be late for class."

I looked up to see Madam Pomfrey standing at the foot of James' bed. I was aware that I'd fallen asleep there, with my hand James' and Madam Pomfrey didn't object at the time.

"Lily, you need to leave," she said. "James needs his rest."

"He's unconscious," I snapped. "He is resting."

Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it. Every now and then she would come and check something, or open James' mouth and give him some sort of medicine. It was lunch when anybody sopke to me again.

"What are you doing here?" the person asked.

I tensed at the voice. It wasn't somebody I wanted to talk to right now, especially seeing as James was hurt. But I turned around and looked at him anyway.

"I could ask you the same question," I said, after assessing him. He wasn't hurt, or unconscious, and so there was no reason I could fathom as to why he was here in the Hospital Wing.

"Lily, I wanted to apologise for upsetting you the other day," he said. "I know I shouldn't have been duelling with Potter, but I had good reason."

"No reason is a good reason to duel," I said, turning back to look at James' face.

"Look at you," he said. "Two years ago you were complaining to me that he was an arrogant toerag that didn't deserve to exist. Now you're sitting by his hospital bed? What's wrong with you Lily?"

I turned back, and the way that Snape recoiled told me that there was a death glare clear on my face. "You're right," I said with a slight hint of sarcasm, that went unnoticed. "Two years ago I would have been glad if James was here, because then I wouldn't have to put up with him asking me out, every, single, day. But now, here I am, by his bed, waiting for him to wake up, because I just want to see that he's okay. Why are you here, Severus?"

"Because I'm worried about you. You're not acting yourself lately."

"Like you would know? Remember, after our Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL, when you called me a mudblood? You must not have been acting like yourself, because the Sev I knew would never call me that. He'd call other people that, but not me. But nothing you said could change what you'd done. You know what? I'm glad James used to pick on you, because if he didn't, we would still be friends, and you'd be dragging me into whatever dark stuff you do. Don't talk to me ever again unless you have a good reason."

"I have a good reason," Snape said. I looked at him, waiting for him to spit it out. "I love you," he said timidly.

Shock must have shown on my face, because Snape's face changed too. "It's too late," I said. "I'm in love with somebody else. Now go away. I don't think my boyfriend would be too pleased if he woke up and you were here."

He looked at James, and then back at me, then his face contorted into rage, and he ran out the Hospital Wing. I heard a small sound behind me, so I turned around and saw James.

"I hope you didn't just say that so Sniv would go away," he said, his voice hoarse. He tried to prop himself up on his pillow, but I pushed him back down and stroked his hair away from his face.

"You got me," I teased. "How are you feeling?"

"Very sore," he said. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "But I was on patrol last night, when there was a howl. I'd been having a bad feeling all day, and I almost broke down when the howl sounded. I ran straight out the front doors of the school, just in time for me to see Sirius carrying you out of the Willow. I didn't know it went out of the school."

"To the Shrieking Shack," James laughed. "Remus is the ghost that haunts it."

I had to smile at that. "But Sirius said that Remus attacked you, and you changed back to you. Then Sirius attacked Remus so that he had some time to get you out of there. I helped get you up here. I haven't left your bedside since."

"Oh," James said. "Is Remus okay?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen Remus or Peter since yesterday, and I haven't seen Sirius since he left the hospital wing last night. I hope he doesn't think too badly of himself."

"Me too," James said. "He has a habit of doing that when he gets one of us."

We sat there in a semi-awkward silence for a few minutes. James was the one who broke it.

"So, boyfriend?"

* * *

**I have a very good reason as to why I haven't updated in a week... Writer's Block and I were spending some quality time together... She's really nice and friendly, but sometimes she just annoys me. I only managed to get rid of her last night... YAY!!!**

**So anyway, I'm not really sure about some of the things in this chapter... tell me what you think =]**

**And thanks to everybody who reviewed... I'm still getting them after a whole week of nothing from me.**

**Love Gabi xx**

**And Raindrops: "the depression etched on his face"**

**Remember now??  
**


	12. Pranking Plannings

I was the first person down to dinner that night... I left the hospital wing only because Madam Pomfrey kicked me out, otherwise I would have stayed. Anywho, I was at the Gryffindor table when a very annoyed Nikki sat down next to me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, taking a bite of my pie.

"A certain person whose name starts with P and ends with Nelope," Nikki fumed. She grabbed a pie from the stack and started eating it, just as Penelope sat down across from us.

"Where's your fan club?" I asked her.

"I wanted to talk to you actually," she said, and I started getting worried. Why on earth would she want to talk to me?

"What about?" I asked, trying to keep my cool.

"A little owl told me that you're going out with Potter," she answered.

I laughed. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Oh wait...

"Who told you that?" I said, trying to regain my composure. "They must be delusional."

I was still laughing, and I suppose I was glad that at this same time the night before, I would have found that completely ludicrous. Because otherwise I wouldn't be able to do what I was planning to do right now.

"I told you, a little owl passed it along," she said.

"OK, who started this ridiculous little rumour?" I asked.

"Word is that Snape started it," Nikki said. "He said he saw you with Potter up in the hospital wing."

"Actually, that's a very good point," Penelope said. "I haven't seen you since last night. Where were you all day?"

"I was up in the hospital wing," I said. "I hurt myself last night, and Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me go to class today."

"Where was James?" Penelope asked.

"What is this, twenty questions?" I asked, then realised that Penelope was pure-blooded and didn't know what that was. "Potter told me the other day that he had to go home for a family funeral or something, and Black, being sort of part of their family went with him. I haven't seen either of them since they left."

"Are you sure?" Penelope asked.

"Yes," I said. She seemed convinced, and left to go sit with her friends at the Hufflepuff table. I rolled my eyes at her and turned back to my pie. "Am I really that good at lying?"

"You mean, you are going out with Potter?" Nikki asked in a hushed voice.

CRIPES!!! I wasn't going to tell anybody... and now Nikki knew, she was going to have to know about everything.

"Finish your pie, then I'll tell you everything."

**

"Miss Evans, back again so soon?"

"Yes Madam Pomfrey," I said. "I need to ask James something."

"Very well," she said. "Be quick though. He needs his rest."

"Thank you." I almost ran to his bed, but I found he was asleep. I gently touched his forehead, and he woke up.

"What are you doing back here?" he asked.

"I need to ask you something," I whispered hurriedly. "The Room of Requirement... how would one enter it?"

"Walk past the tapestry three times thinking of what you need," he answered. "Why?"

"I need to tell Nikki. About everything. Are you alright with that?"

James nodded. "If you trust her, I trust her."

"Thank you," I said, turning away from the bed. He grabbed my hand.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," I said, and he let go of my hand. I rushed out of the room and grabbed Nikki by the hand, dragging her up to the seventh floor corridor where I knew the room was. I paced past the door three times, thinking of what I needed, and there it was. The door to the room. I smiled at Nikki's bemused expression, and then pulled her through the door, pushing her down onto one of the plush chairs that had appeared.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"You wanted to know, right?"

"Yeah, but why here?"

"Because you're going to ask for the whole story, and here's the only place I can give it to you. Yes, I am going out with James Potter. First question."

"Why? I thought you hated James."

"Things change. Next question."

"Where were you today, really?"

"I was up in the hospital wing, but not because I hurt myself."

"With James?"

"Yes," I said, impatient to get to the main topic of conversation.

"But you said that James had gone home with Sirius. Why would Sirius go home without James?"

"Because they didn't go home," I said. "They did leave the castle, but they didn't go home."

"So where did they go?"

"Hogsmeade, I think. Do you remember the howl from last night?"

"Yes," she said. "That was the last time I saw you."

"Well, that was from the Shrieking Shack. It's not haunted."

"Then what made the howl?"

"Remus made the howl," I said. "He's a werewolf."

"WHAT?!" she screamed. Okay, admittedly, I really wasn't expecting that.

"Are you telling me, that every month, Rem wanders around as a wolf, and nobody even knows about it?"

"Yes," I said. "You seem surprised."

"Of course I'm surprised! He's one of my best friends, and he just neglected to tell me that he's a werewolf! Why would he do that?"

"Because you're reacting like this?" I asked. "Seriously, it's no big deal. It's not like he's ever hurt anybody!"

"But he might!" Nikki said. "I don't want to do patrols with him anymore!"

"Tough titties," I said. "He'll never patrol during the full moon... that's why you had to do Jame's patrol last night."

"Because Remus was a werewolf?"

Oh. Right. Let me correct that.

"No, because James was with Remus. So was Sirius."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever realised that when Remus isn't in school, neither are James and Sirius?"

She mulled this over for a few minutes, and realisation dawned over her face. "Why aren't they?"

"In third year, Sirius, James, and Peter all started to try and turn into animagi. They finally got it in fifth year, and ever since, they've been with Remus during his transformations, and making sure he doesn't come into any trouble."

"Black's an animagus?" Nikki asked, an impressed expression on her face. Why didn't she ask about the other two?

"Yes," I said, confused. "So are Pettigrew and James."

"That's really cool," she said. "What do they turn into?"

"Black is a shaggy black dog, Pettigrew's a rat, and James is a stag."

"And Remus is a werewolf," she said glumly. She'd stood up somewhere in my explanation and now she sat back down again, consumed in her thoughts. I tried clicking my fingers to snap her out of it, but it didn't work.

"NICOLE!" I yelled, using her full name. She snapped out of her trance and looked at me.

"How can I still be friends with Remus after this?" she asked, her face falling.

"You were friends with him before," I pointed out. "Before you knew. He's a nice person, you just need to learn to look past the fact. He doesn't let being a werewolf control him, he fights it. He doesn't let it stop him having a life. He's one of the most popular kids in school!"

"How long have you known?" she asked suddenly.

I sighed. "Since fifth year. I figured it out. I saw it. But they didn't know that I knew until the beginning of this year. You okay?"

"Yeah," Nikki said. "I'm fine."

We sat there in the Room of Requirement until morning, only speaking at odd intervals, usually Nikki asking me a question and me giving her an answer. Either way, we didn't leave until it was seven o'clock, an acceptable time to be out of our common rooms.

When I got to the common room, I saw that Sirius, Remus and Pettigrew had returned. Sirius ran up to me almost as soon as he saw us enter.

"Where have you been?" he asked me.

"Uh, none of your business Black," I snapped.

"I thought I implied to you to stay with Prongs until he woke up," he said, exasperated.

"Yeah, you did," I said. "What are you doing back right now? I thought you'd be coming back tomorrow?"

"No," Remus said. "It was over more quickly than we thought it would be. Is Prongs okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine." I found myself wondering if I should tell them about Nikki knowing, or if I should just let James do it.

"Um, Lily, I'm going to go up to the dorm and get ready. I'll see you later."

"Yeah," I said, facing the Marauders. I waited until she dashed up the stairs. "Are you okay Remus?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Okay," I said as he turned and went up to his own dormitory, Pettigrew on his heels.

"Where's Prongs?" Sirius asked me.

"Last I checked, he was in the hospital wing. He's fine though. Madam Pomfrey made sure he was okay."

"Okay," Sirius said, then, as the Portrait Hole swung open, he turned and left up the spiral staricase to his dormitory.

I spun around, and saw James walking towards me. A sigh of relief escaped me, and I threw my arms around him.

"How are you?" I asked, not letting go of him.

"Better," he said. "Especially now that I've seen your face."

"That line is cheesier than a margurita pizza," I chuckled.

"I don't know what that means," he said.

"It's a pizza that only has cheese as it's topping."

"Disgusting," he said.

"Exactly."

"So, how are you my Lilykins?"

"Better now that I've seen you can walk," I said, pulling away and looking at him. "And I need you to do me a favour. We need to keep that we're together a secret. Just for a few days."

"Why?" he asked, his happy face falling.

"I'm going to try playing a prank," I admitted.

"Now for that, you'll need the help of your old pals James and Sirius," he commented, his face lightening up again.

"Yes," I said. "I need you to promise you won't let it slip to anybody except Pads."

"Alright," he said, kissing my forehead. "Go get dressed. I'll see you at breakfast."

**

"Today we will be switching Potions partners," Professor Slughorn announced. Nearly everybody groaned, except James and Sirius, because Slughorn always switched partners by magic. Perhaps they would be able to be partners this time around. Slughorn wrote a list of names up, and then tapped the piece of paper. He then called out the new partners.

There were only four people left, and I was one of them. So was Sirius, and Nikki, and James. I crossed my fingers, hoping that I wouldn't be made to go with James. It would be hard to pretend then.

"Nicole and Sirius," Slughorn boomed, and I looked towards James. "Go with your new partner!"

I sighed and walked over towards James. "You know what we have to do, right?" I asked him.

"Pretend we hate each other's guts?" he asked. I nodded. "Consider it done," he grinned. I glared at him.

"Today, I would like you to brew a potion to cure hangovers!" Slughorn announced, and I grinned. So did James. We both knew that I'd made that potion before, the morning after my sister's wedding. We both set to work, putting the ingredients into the cauldron. Our only problem was that we were working at the same table as Snape and Penelope.

"Look at the two lovebirds brewing a potion together," Penelope smirked. "It almost makes you want to puke, doesn't it Sev?"

"Yeah," Snape said.

"Lovebirds?" I asked. "What gave you that impression?"

Snape looked thoroughly confused. "Yesterday, up in the hospital wing, you said he was your boyfriend."

"What?" I asked. "You okay Sev? Do you want me to make you some anti-hallucinogenic potion?"

"I wasn't hallucinating!" he said, throwing his arms up in the air. I didn't want to remind him that he was supposed to be stirring his cauldron. "You were there, with Potter. He was lying in bed, and you called him your boyfriend!"

"I think Lily's right, Sniv," James said. "I wasn't at school yesterday. I was at my granddad's funeral."

"I know what I saw," Snape said.

"And I know where I was," James said. "Plus, if Lily had said I was her boyfriend, don't you think I'd have her admitted to a mental institution? The Real Lily doesn't say things like that."

"Quiet over there," Slughorn said, and Snape dropped it, although he kept throwing us frequent glares. He was so preoccupied, he didn't notice when his cauldron started smoking, or when his potion, that should be orange by now, was a putrid green colour. I noticed though, and couldn't help repressing a smirk.

"Time!" Slughorn shouted. "I'm going to come over and check your potions now."

As the old, fat Professor started his rounds, Snape looked into his cauldron and his face fell. Then he glared at James and me.

"Oh, Mr Snape, what ever happened to your remarkable potion making abilities?" he asked. He took a sniff of the concoction. "You added a few porcupine quills? Why on earth would you do that?"

"I didn't add any porcupine quills," Snape said, confused. Realisation struck me though, and I looked sideways at James, who was trying to suppress a snigger.

I elbowed him in the side as Slughorn came over to inspect our potion.

"Excellent, Miss Evans," he said. "This hardly looks like a first time brew. Have you made it before?"

"Just once," I admitted. "After my sister's wedding."

"Well, it's very fine indeed. You could put it to market."

I was aware of going a bright red colour as he awarded Gryffindor some points. After he dismissed the class, I waited up for Nikki, Sirius, Remus and James, the only people who knew what was really going on.

Phase one of my first prank was complete.

* * *

**Not really too sure about the end of this chapter, but please tell me if you like it. Koodos to everyone who reviewed last time... sorry I couldn't reply to you all...**

**My family is trying to squish the magic of fanfiction out of me, so I only get it at this time on a Saturday night... how sad. But I do get the emails all through the week... I check them when my siblings aren't looking.**

**Anyways, review!!**

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	13. Me, Myself and I

"I'll meet you in the Transfiguration classroom at eight," I told James. We were in a deserted corridor by the Charms classroom, at about five. In the afternoon of course. I kissed him lightly on the lips before pulling away. Somebody was at the end of the corridor.

"Get out the map, quickly," I urged. Over the past few days, he'd told me all about his Marauder's Map, which he and his friends had invented.

"Penelope?" James asked, locating us on the map.

"I hope not. Oh no, this is going to turn out bad."

"It won't. Listen, she probably didn't even hear us. We'll go to the classroom like we planned." He grabbed my arms and looked into my eyes. "It will be okay."

"Alright," I smiled, and leaned up to peck him on the lips. I would have liked to keep kissing him, but I had to pull away and go to my meeting with Professor McGonagall.

**

Five past eight!! I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!! Oh excellent, I should start dressing up in a white rabbit suit right now! I'd be perfect for the part. I'm never late to anything, and the one thing that I really _do not_ want to be late for, I end up being late for.

I looked around at my friends. Right now, they were laughing at something Sirius was doing. We stopped and looked at me pointedly. I rolled my eyes and got out of my seat before my friends noticed I was going. As soon as I was out of the portrait hole, I ran as fast as I could towards the first floor.

When I got there, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The door was already open, and I was looking through the opening. There were two people by the fire, one, the girl, advancing on the other. Something was wrong though. As the girl reached up and kissed the boy on this lips, I got a clear view of her face.

I was looking at myself.

* * *

Ohkays, so I know that that is a reaaaallllllyyyyy short chapter =]

I'm truly sorry. I wanted to put more in it, like, to do with the prank, and then mum suggested that I just do something to get rid of it, because I got major writer's block. Yeah, that's why I haven't updated in soo long.

I can just imagine Luna right now. Doing a little happy dance in her seat. Because I finally updated this!!

Love you!!!

Hope your clari behaved...

Okay, I will try and do an extra long update later on, but I also want to do some more of Here It Goes Again. I love that title, and I think it fits perfectly!!

Ciao now!!

Love Gabi xx


	14. MixUps

I didn't want to see anymore. I knew exactly who that boy was. That boy, was my 'boyfriend'. Spinning on my heels, I ran all the way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, aware that tears were filling my eyes. I hoped that the people inside the common room would not notice my tears. However, Sirius saved me. He came out just as I was about to say the password, and, seeing my face, wrapped his arms around me.

"Room of Requirement, let's go," he whispered, and, nodding, I followed him there. This time, the room was just a really big common room. No doubt the Marauders came in here sometimes when they were planning some sort of prank.

"What's wrong Lils?" Sirius asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," I mumbled, but he wouldn't take that.

"What I saw on the map was Prongs and Penelope very close together in the Transfiguration classroom, and you on the outside, probably looking in. Then, you turn around and start running. Something is wrong."

"James kissed – wait, did you say Penelope?"

"Yes... James kissed her? Why the hell would he do that?"

"I think she might have stolen some 1) Polyjuice Potion and 2) of my hair. He thought he was kissing me."

"What a bitch," Sirius said. "But still, he can't be blamed. He did think it was you, and, you, yourself, was late... maybe he thought she was definitely you because you're never late to anything."

"Still..."

"Let's look at the map shall we?" Sirius asked. It seems he'd taken the map for himself tonight. He pulled it out of his pocket and opened to where the Transfiguration classroom was. I looked over his shoulder.

"James isn't there anymore," I noted, worried. "Maybe we should look at the Common Room."

Obeying, Sirius flicked to the part of the map that showed the Gryffindor Common Room. James was about to enter it, with Penelope trailing a few steps behind.

"Does this map show conversations?"

"No."

"So, how do we know if she's trailing behind because she's been found out, or she's trailing behind so me and James aren't seen together."

"We don't. We'll have to go out and see." Obviously, Sirius could see my hesitation, because he forced me out of the door. Within five minutes, we were in the Common Room.

"Hate to break it to you Pads," I said, "but Prongs isn't here. What a shame."

"Lily, you will talk to him. He's up in the dormitory. You know where."

"Fine," I spat, stalking up to James and Sirius' dormitory. I paused on the stop step and put my ear to the door, then knocked loudly.

"Come in!" James called, obviously recognising my knock. I opened the door and went straight up to his bed.

"Again so soon?" he asked.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you were doing with Penelope?" I yelled.

"I wasn't with Penelope... I was with you!"

"Try telling that to the girl that was standing outside the classroom, watching herself come on to her boyfriend..."

"That's ridiculous, Lily, come here." He patted the bed beside him.

"No," I snarled. "Just make sure you know who you're kissing before you do it, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, I rushed out of the room, tears falling down my face.

**

Mid-April... the Easter holidays. I'm at school, minding my own business... studying for my NEWTs, and guess who shows up! James Pratter... I mean Potter. In case you're wondering, no, I haven't spoken to him since. It's not like he cares... he hasn't tried speaking to me either...

So anyway, I'm in the library, poring over a very complicated and confusing book of charms... when Pratter comes and sits opposite me.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry for what?" I asked, not really paying attention.

"For what? I'm sorry for being such a jerk and ruining the best relationship I've ever been in. Lily, you really don't realise how much you mean to me, do you?"

"Not much, obviously. Couldn't you tell it wasn't me?"

"Lily, do you want to know the truth? We didn't even kiss! I knew it wasn't you. When you came into the dormitory, I thought it was Penelope again... of course, I didn't know it was Penelope at the time. Please forgive me, Lily."

"Why should I James?"

"Because I love you, and you know that."

"Actions speak louder than words," I reminded him. "You need to prove you love me. I can't just take your word for it again. I already tried that once."

I slammed the book shut, gathered my things, and walked away from him. Jerk.

**Okay guys, I'm sorry it's another short chapter... I'm just really bogged down with writer's block. It would be longer, but I can't have them break up and get back together in the same chapter. Where's the logic in that?**

**Plus, my head is hurting from looking at the screen. I should stop going on the computer without glasses. **

**Meh...**

**Hope you like it, and don't kill me... please don't complain about how short it is either... Just be glad you're getting anything at all...**

**Love Gabi xx**


	15. Goodbye

"Hey, Evans!"

I decided not to turn around. It was some sixth year Ravenclaw kid, who just wanted to go out with the Head Girl.

"Just turn around, Lily," Nikki ushered me. "Seriously, you need to get back in the game... you can't keep being depressed over Jerk Pratter now, can you?"

"Suppose not," I half smiled. Unknown to Nikki, it was a dead smile. Not being with James was breaking my heart, but that wasn't the point. The point was that it was breaking his heart, and at the moment, that's all I was really caring about. So I turned around to face the Ravenclaw boy.

"Will you go out with me, Evans?"

I froze... The past seven years came flooding back to me. How many times in a week did I hear James say that? Eight? Sometimes more. Why was I linking everything back to James? It didn't matter... I needed to concentrate on my NEWTs this week... these would be what was going to determine my whole future.

"Sorry kid," I said to him. "You're not my type."

"What is your type then?" Nikki whispered in my ear. "Hot, dark-haired and head boy material?"

I rolled my eyes. Then elbowed her. Then we laughed a bit until the hall started clearing out and we had to get started on our tests... It was Charms up first – my favourite.

**

"Lils, are you serious about this?" Nikki asked me. I was sitting there, with a broad grin plastered over my face...

"Yes," I replied, still grinning. "Think about it Nikki... I've always wanted to be an auror... Even if I've failed my NEWTs, Dumbledore's giving me this great chance... People don't get given chances like this very often."

"I suppose you're right," she said. "But how do you know it's what you really want?"

I paused. I wasn't sure if I could answer that. I'd heard tales about the legendary Order of the Phoenix... Earlier that day, Dumbledore had taken a group of students that were doing Auror NEWTs to talk to them about joining... in these dark times, they needed all the help they could get.

"I just know... It's like how you know you love someone, because you would do anything for them..."

"Like how you'd do anything for Pratter, even though he broke your heart."

"I wouldn't do anything for Potter," I corrected her, even though it was technically a lie. I was kidding myself, it was a complete and total lie, and nothing I could say would change that.

"Mhm," was all Nikki could manage.

"Will you stop being such a spoilsport? I really want to do this Order of the Phoenix stuff... I think it will be a good oppurtunity for me... It will change the rest of my life!"

"Lily, I'm not going to tell you that you're stupid, because you're not. What I'm going to tell you, is that, even though I don't approve of your decision, your life is all yours, and it's completely up to you what you do with it. And I will accept your decision, no matter what you do."

Subtext... right there.

So, what was she really telling me? I won't blame you if you get back together with Potter? That was probably it.

"Thank you," I smiled. "For accepting."

**

Graduation, the day most people look forward to.

I dread it. No longer will I walk the hallowed halls of Hogwarts with my friends... Never again will I learn from all my favourite teachers, or laugh with all my friends... But as Head Girl, I'll always be here... My name will be on a plaque in the trophy room.

Graduation is also the last day that you'll ever see most of your classmates. For me, that is partly a good thing. I'll never have to see Snape again, thankfully... But that also means that I might not ever see James again, unless I sort this out right now.

He's laughing with his friends, maybe this isn't such a good idea... but, they're my friends too, aren't they? Oh hell, I'll just have to do it.

Wait, he's joining the Order too... I have all the time in the world to make it up with him... hopefully. I'll just leave with Nikki, and Alice. Alice, who has a nice, fat, engagement ring on now... Frank proposed to her at their last Hogsmeade date... That's another place I'll probably never go again...

I spun around at a tap on my shoulder.

"Ugh, what do you want Potter?"

"Nice to see your face too, Evans," he replied, although I think he said it a bit teasingly. I wasn't teasing.

"What do you want?"

"I just thought that... maybe..."

I raised my eyebrows in a 'spit-it-out-already' way.

"You need a place to live," he pointed out... Oh, crap, I'd forgotten about that.

"How do you know I haven't already got one?"

"She doesn't!" Nikki called from the carriage. Yeah, great friend you are.

"Exactly," James said. "Listen, why don't you come back to Godric's Hollow with me and Sirius? There's enough room, and my mum loves you. You'll be welcome there."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"How else am I going to prove that I love you?"

"But I've treated you like dirt for months!"

"You treated me like dirt for six years, Lily, and I never stopped loving you... Do you remember what I said to you after your sister's wedding?"

"Yes," I said, putting a finger to his lips. "How could I forget? That was the happiest moment of my life... My patronus memory."

"So, will you accept my offer, and come and live with me and... that idiot over there?"

"Yes. Of course I will! Thank you so much!"

And, forgetting everything that had happened between us in the last few months, I threw my arms around his neck, and I made sure our lips met. My mind was changed. This was the happiest moment of my life.

**

Over the next few weeks, James, Sirius and I made a few trips over to the house where Petunia and – Whale – still lived, because they were too poor to afford their own apartment. We didn't stay long, and most of the time, they usually didn't notice we were there. But, one night, the last time we went, Petunia heard us skulking around in my old bedroom, scouring the bedroom for the last of my things.

"Lily?" she asked. "Lily, is that you?"

"No, it's the boogey-monster," I answered.

"Boogey-monster?" James and Sirius asked, with evident puzzlement in their voice.

"You're not supposed to be here, remember?" Petunia reminded me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to move my things to my new house?"

"What are your thugs doing here?"

"They are not my thugs, they are my room mates."

"You moved in with boys?" she asked sceptically. "A few years ago, you were afraid of boys."

"A few years ago, my best friend was a boy."

"You can hardly call him a boy, Lily. He was girlier than a..."

"Than a what?"

"Doesn't matter, Lily, he was pretty girly," Sirius said. "Hey, you must be Petunia... I'm Sirius."

"And _we're_ leaving," I said. "Bye Petunia... say goodbye to mum and dad for me."

"Good riddance," I heard her mutter as I disapparated.

"What's the boogey-monster?" James asked.

I had a lot of explaining to do.

**

"We have to tell you something," James' mother said to the three of us as we sat down at the table for dinner a few nights later. This didn't look good.

"We're moving," his father continued.

"Oh," James muttered, crestfallen.

"It's not oh, James," his mum said. "We're giving the house to you. Your father and I will have no need for it... we're moving further away from here than you think."

"Why, where are you going?" James asked, worried now.

"We're going to Australia," she said. "All this horrible stuff is happening here. We can't bear to be around it any longer."

"So you're just gonna get out of town? It doesn't work like that! You can make a difference."

"James," I interrupted. "If they want to move, let them. It's their lives."

"But Lily, moving to Australia isn't what they should be doing. They should be fighting, like we are."

He instantly regretted that. The three of us had decided that we wouldn't be mentioning to James' parents that we were in the Order, that we were fighting.

"What do you mean, you're fighting?"

"Nothing," James replied, suddenly extremely interested in his pea and ham soup.

"Damage is done," his father told him. "Explain yourself, please."

"Nothing else for it," Sirius said. "We're in the Order of the Phoenix... Dumbledore asked us."

"Why didn't you tell us, James?"

"I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily," he tried to explain. "Why don't we just forget we ever said this."

"No," Bart said. "James, if you'd told us, we would have had no problem, but we don't appreciate you lying to us."

"I haven't been lying, I've just been -"

"Hiding the truth?" Giselle asked. "You know what, it doesn't matter... what's done is done."

The rest of dinner was spent in silence.

**

The day of the Potter's departure arrived, and it was long faces all around. We would never see them ever again... unless You-Know-Who is defeated and they decide to move back... not likely.

"Thank you," I said to them as they put their last bags in the taxi. "Thank you so much, for everything you've done for me. Not many people are as generous as you are, and I'm really grateful for your help. So, thank you."

"Oh, it's our pleasure Lily dear. Just make sure that you take good care of our James. He'll need it."

"I will, Mrs Potter. I'll miss you."

"We'll miss you too. It's been nice having another girl in the house. Maybe we'll meet again some day. Goodbye Lily."

"Goodbye."


	16. Ten Galleons

I guess, when looking at a decision you've made sometime after you've made it, you think back on how stupid that decision was. That's what James, Sirius and I were doing after we said goodbye to James' parents. They'd been so good to us, and we'd decided to go and not tell them that we were risking our lives. Maybe we should have told them to begin with. Then again, maybe we shouldn't have even joined. James feels really bad now... his parents were really angry at him especially, but with all of us.

"Lily," James now said, tapping me on the shoulder. I turned around, regret etched into my face. "Don't feel bad. They only got upset because they don't want anything bad happening to any of us. And especially not you. They love you, you know? Ever since they first met you they thought you were going to be amazing. And you were. Top NEWTs... Head Girl... Lily, they were right. Don't feel bad about not telling them... they know you were only trying to protect them."

"I know," I smiled, tears falling down my face. Giselle and Bart Potter had been very accepting of me, very welcoming. "James, do you ever think that maybe joining the Order wasn't such a good idea?"

"All the time," he said. "I mean, I never know if I'm going to see you again. Do you know how hard that is to live with?"

"I think I have an inkling. I love you, James... you know that, right?"

"Of course I do my Lily. Now come on, Sirius has a date and I want to see what she's like."

I laughed at that. Sirius had been having dates ever since school finished, and he never went out with them more than once. But he'd seemed pretty serious about this one. Or Sirius, shall I say? He hadn't stopped talking about her. So imagine our surprise when we found out who it was.

"Nikki?" I asked. "Is that you?"

"Lily!" she cried, running up and putting her arms around me. "I forgot you lived here."

"What are you doing going out with Sirius?"

"He's taking me somewhere nice, but I don't know where." At that moment, Sirius came up and put his arm around Nikki, winked at us, and steered her out of the house.

"Ten galleons on the Shrieking Shack," James muttered to me.

"He wouldn't take here there, would he? You're on."

We walked back out to the kitchen, and scrounged around for some food. There was nothing.

"Who's going to go down to the shops?" James asked me.

"Why don't we both go?" I asked. "It could be like a date, or something."

"You know, we've never actually been on a date before... I like you're thinking."

"Oh, I thought you were counting my sister's wedding as our first date," I pointed out.

"Well, you said it wasn't, so I deleted it off my list."

"That's a shame."

"Why is that a shame?" he asked as we walked out into the chill Godric's Hollow air, his arm linked with mine as we made for the safe apparition point.

"Because now it's a date," I smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "Now, where to?"

"Our second date," he laughed. "Food shopping?"

My face fell. "You're right," he agreed. "Not a very good thing for a second date. How about, you take me to one of these muggle, movie things you were talking about last December."

"You remember that?" I asked, astounded. I didn't even remember that.

"I remember everything you say, Lily," he told me. "Every little thing."

**

"Well, I didn't like that movie," I said as we walked out of the cinema. "Too sappy."

"Wow," he said, still amazed at the concept of a movie. "That's a movie?"

"Yup." I made a popping sound on the 'p'. "What say you we go get some icecream?"

"Definitely," he smiled, steering me over to the icecream cart that was by the river. "Two vanillas please," he asked the man. Hastily, the man got two cones and stuffed them full of the French Vanilla Icecream.

As we walked down the street, James' eyes were drawn to a sight down at the Harbour, where there was a young couple picking out wedding venues.

"We know them, don't we?" he asked, as I ran down to meet them. "Lily! Get back here!"

At the sound of my name, the girl turned around, her eyes lit up like lamps. "Lily!" she cried. "I'm so glad you're here! I wanted to ask you something, but I couldn't get a hold of you. Will you be Maid of Honour?"

Woah. Wasn't expecting that. But, how could I refuse? She was one of my best friends, and I'd always be there for her, no matter what.

"Of course," I laughed, throwing my arms around her as James and Frank looked at the scene with bewilderment. "Of course I will Al."

"Thank you so much."

"Girls are weird," I heard James mutter. So did Alice, because she pushed me away and stared at James.

"Woah, Alice, leave my boyfriend alone. Besides, boys are the ones that are weird."

I tried to run away before James could get me, but he grabbed my waist and pulled me back with ease.

"You try and run away again," he said, turning me around in his arms, "and I'll be forced to kiss you."

Grinning, I spun around again and ran forward, James' arms not letting me move. Then I gave up, and let him kiss me.

"You guys are gross," Alice told me.

"Says you," I shot back.

**

"You owe me ten galleons," I told James that night.

"Why?" he asked, absentmindedly.

"Because Sirius didn't take Nikki to the shrieking shack," I said, glancing over at Sirius and Nikki on the couch. Making out. Disgusting. Definitely not what I wanted to see my best friend and my boyfriend's best friend doing.

"How do you know?"

"If he took her to the shrieking shack, do you think she'd still be here?"

Sighing, James pulled ten galleons out from his pocket. "Happy now?"

"Very, thank you."

"You know, you really shouldn't gamble..."

"Why, is it against the law?"

"No, just because gambling is my thing."

"And you're so special," I said, with heavy sarcasm.

"Of course I am," he said, genuinely surprised. "I got you, didn't I?"

Damn sweet, rich boyfriends.

**

"I need eight of you for this mission," Dumbledore announced at the next meeting. "You'll need to be quick thinking, and on your toes. This is a dangerous one, and that's why I'm not picking you out. Those who will be going will know what's at stake. Any volunteers?"

Slowly but surely, Sirius raised his hand. Followed by Frank and Alice. Then me and James. That's five.

"Any older members?" Dumbledore asked.

Carefully, Alice's older cousins Gideon and Fabian raised their hands, as did Alastor Moody, the auror.

"That's eight," Dumbledore said. "Are you sure that you're ready?"

All eight of us nodded. "You leave at nightfall."

**

Huddled under the invisibility cloak, sitting under a tree, James, Sirius and I looked around us, waiting for any sign of the Death Eaters. We'd been told to hide ourselves. The other five members of the contingent waited in the bushes, apart from Gideon and Fabian, who had borrowed Moody's two invisibility cloaks.

We sat for what felt like hours before there was any movement. A stick next to us broke, and as I looked up, I saw the face of somebody I hadn't been expecting to see quite so soon after Hogwarts. I waited for the spells to come from the bushes, but none came. The Death Eaters were too well camouflaged at night. So, I slowly raised my wand, and hit Severus Snape with an immobilising charm.

None of the Death Eaters noticed a big, shaggy black dog creep out from under an invisibility cloak. For a moment, I thought it must have been sleeping under the tree until I realised that it was Sirius. Now it was just James and I under the cloak.

"I love you Lily," he whispered, kissing me gently on the lips. "If anything happens, know that."

"Nothing will happen," I assured him, also whispering. "We'll both be fine."

We stood up, the cloak just long enough to cover our feet with James hunched over. We moved out into the open space, and raised our wands, pointing them at two different Death Eaters. This was to be the signal.

"_Stupefy_!" We both called out, and red jets of light hit the Death Eaters. The rest of the Order showed themselves, and James pulled the cloak off of us.

If it hadn't been so terrifying, it would have been mesmerising, looking at all the different coloured spells go flying past us into the night. It was like a game of dodgeball, except with spells. You had to make sure that you weren't going to get hit from any direction. Somewhere in the battle, James and I got split up, but I found myself fighting alongside Alice. All of a sudden, the spells from the other side stopped, and there was a hushed silence all around.

Confused, we looked around us. As we looked into the face of He Who Must Not Be Named, and realised that the Death Eaters were bowing to him, we also realised that we were the only females from our side. He raised his wand. I didn't want my last moments to be looking at his face, his wand pointing in mine... That would be a horrible way to go.

The last thing I heard was a loud cackle, that I knew was coming from Bellatrix Lestrange and I braced myself, ready for the spell that was about to come.

* * *

**Oooo scary**

**So uh, some of you might not like the next chapter... well, the middle bit's okay, but I don't like the end**

**Uhm, so you might have noticed I've been updating a bit more lately... yeah, it's because I'm sick.**

**So I'm off school, and uh, I've actually finished writing this story... there's three more chapters after this, plus an epilogue...**

**Which I had fun writing, because I enjoy writing in third person**

**But which I also disliked writing, for reasons you can probably guess.**

**So, my pretties, I hope you enjoyed this chapter...**

**Please review**

**Love Gabi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
**


	17. Perfect For Some

I felt a hand grasp my wrist as You Know Who opened his mouth.

Then, I was pressed into blackness, it was enveloping me until I could barely breathe. Finally, we landed with a 'thump' on my bed, the three of us.

Three?

"Don't ever do that to me again," James shouted at me. "Do you know what I was just feeling? I was feeling like I'd never see you again!"

"It's not her fault, James," Alice chided him. "Leave her be."

"I'm sorry, James," I said, unaware until then that tears had been running down my face. "But I told you that we were going to be fine. Please, just relax."

"I can't relax. I was so close to losing you."

He collapsed into my arms, tears running down his face. Silently, without James noticing, Alice got up from the bed and waited out in the lounge room for the mission to finish. After that, probably all of the contingent would have disapparated back to headquarters.

"It's okay James," I whispered, stroking his head. "It's okay."

**

"So," Alice announced, as we were walking down one of those high-class shopping streets, picking out bridesmaid dresses for Nikki and myself. "I think I've picked a wedding dress, but I want to see what you guys think."

Without warning, she grabbed our wrists and dragged us into the shop that we were passing. It was full of wedding dresses, every single wall was full of them. The manager of the store, a middle-aged woman, came over and greeted Alice like an old friend. "Shall I take you all through?"

Excitedly, the three of us followed the woman, Anita she was called, through to the back room, where there were a few changing rooms, and the gowns that had been set aside were held. As Anita took the prettiest gown from the rack, I stared with wonder. It was beautiful. The corset was heavily decorated with lace and sequins, and the silk hung from the ends of it. It was even more amazing on, I soon noticed, as Alice came out of the dressing room with it on.

"Yes," I automatically said. "It's amazing. Get it, please."

"I think it's beautiul," Nikki said. "You'll look amazing on Saturday."

Saturday, the day of the wedding.

**

After the wedding dress was bought, time just went speeding by. Before I knew it, I was standing between Alice and Nikki, crying as my best friend became a wife. I couldn't have been more happy for them as I was at this moment. Alice and Frank deserved this.

And it was hard to think that just two months ago, Alice and I had almost met our ends fighting for a better world, where something such as a wedding wouldn't be amazing to witness.

And it was at the reception when everything changed for me. I knew that from now on, weddings would be few and far apart. Even me catching the bocquet wasn't enough for me to think that I might survive in time to have one. And if I did, who said that James, the only person I would ever want to marry, would? The depression of the thought consumed me.

It was only later that night when I was experiencing DejaVu apparating James home drunk that I realised there was something sinister in the air at that wedding. Something didn't feel right to me.

**

"Another mission," James said to me on New Years Day. "Three days from now. You up for it?"

"Yeah," I nodded, thinking about the one thing that had been on my mind since Alice's wedding, and not really listening to James.

"You won't do something stupid this time, like almost get killed by You Know Who?" he joked.

"That's nothing to joke about," I scolded him.

"You're right," he admitted. "I'm sorry Lily."

So, three nights later, James and I got ready for this next mission. Nikki was going on this next one, as a Healer, in case any injuries were received. Her and Sirius were still going strong, surprisingly, and the longest girlfriend Sirius had had had been for two days. So everybody, including Dumbledore, had been surprised that Sirius had managed to hold a girlfriend for almost six months.

"You ready Lils?" James asked, coming into my bedroom.

"Yeah," I smiled, knowing something bad was going to happen. It always did on missions like this. I'd always had a gut instinct for when bad things were about to happen.

"You okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, more trying to convince myself of the fact. Silently, he put his arm around me, and we disapparated to the safe point we'd been told about.

It was dark all around us, apart from the glitter of stars in the sky. If it had not been for that fact that there was going to be a duel here tonight, it would have been one of the most romantic sights I'd ever seen. Actually, I would have to take James out on a date like this sometime soon.

"Who's there?" I heard the voice of Dumbledore ask.

"It's just us Professor," said James, who had not yet gotten out of the habit of calling him Professor yet. Come to think of it, none of us have.

"Well, be quick. They've come sooner than expected. You'll be needed straight away."

Nodding, I went out to the battlefield. I could help somebody out at least. The same scene as the last mission I'd been on came back to my eyes. Except there were more people this time – more Death Eaters as well as more of the Order. I whipped out my wand and threw a stinging hex at one Death Eater and a conjunctivitis curse at another.

This continued – everybody throwing an assortment of different spells at the other side, the darker ones generally coming from the Death Eaters, until, suddenly, my brain was wiped of all thought.

_Kill the healing girl_ a voice commanded me. I looked over at the healing tent, malice in my mood. Then I paused.

_Why should I?_ I asked.

_Because I command it to be so_. It was the voice of Voldemort. _If you do not, it will be much more than her life that is taken._

_But she is my best friend_. I reasoned.

_Why do you think it is you that must kill her_?

Great. Conflict in my own head. With somebody other than myself. I was slightly aware of people staring at me, wondering what on earth I was doing wandering to the healing tent with my wand raised.

"Lily?" Nikki asked. "Lily, what's wrong?"

"Get out of here," I told her, raising my wand. "Get out of here before it's too late."

"Lily, what on earth is wrong with -" It finally dawned on her. "The Imperius Curse. I'm sorry Lily."

"Nikki, get out, please."

She just looked at me, puzzled.

_Stupid girl_, Voldemort sounded in my head. _I knew I shouldn't have gotten a mudblood to do a pureblood's job. _

I gasped when I realised that I could think again, and then saw Voldemort coming in the entrance to the tent. Thankfully, it was only Nikki and me in here as nobody had been injured yet. Then I realised what he was about to do. I grabbed her hand and disapparated, just as a jet of blinding green light hit Nikki square in the chest.

**

"Nikki?" I asked as me and her limp figure landed on my bed. "Nikki, answer me, please."

But all I saw were her staring eyes, and as much as I wished it wasn't like this, I knew she was dead. But I didn't want to accept it. How can you accept it when your best friend is dead? I pulled her into my arms, and cried until I fell asleep.

I was woken the next morning by thudding footsteps through the house. Two sets of them. As I opened my eyes, I saw the limp form of my best friend lying next to me, and the terrible events of last night came back to me. I couldn't and wouldn't stop my tears as they came barricading out of my eyes. Whoever was coming through the house must have heard, and they both came running into the bedroom.

"Lily!" James said, ecstatic that I was okay. "Lily, why are you crying?"

Then Sirius saw what was lying next to me. "Nikki!" he cried, running over to the bed. "What happened?"

"Voldemort put me under the Imperius curse, and he wanted me to kill her -" Sirius looked about ready to strangle me at this.

"Let her finish, Pads," James said, stroking my hair.

"But I fought back. I wouldn't do it, I told her to get out of there before it was too late. Finally, he gave up, but he came in himself. I was two seconds too late getting her out of there. I'm sorry Sirius... I know you loved her."

**

Nobody should ever have to be there when their best friend loses their life. Nobody should ever have go through losing them at all. The grief it's caused three best friends has been unbearable. Sirius even moved out into his Uncle Alphard's house, the one that he'd been left when his uncle died, but had been too happy to go to earlier on. Now, he claimed, he just needed some space.

In truth, I felt bad for him. This is the first relationship of his any of us could remember that had lasted longer than a week, and just when it was going good for him, somebody had to go and make it worse. He believed that Nikki being killed was one of his cousin's ideas, because all of his cousins, except Andromeda, who had been kicked out when she fell in love with a muggle-born named Ted Tonks, had turned out to be Death Eaters, and didn't like him.

I thought that idea was ridiculous, and the reason she was killed was because she was muggle-born and because she was going to try and help the injured on the Order side.

"Why weren't you killed then, Lily?" Sirius had asked. "You're a muggleborn too, in case you forgot."

The night after the funeral, Dumbledore called Alice and me for a private meeting.

"I would like you two not to go on any more missions," he told us. "You two have been making Voldemort incredibly angry. You have both defied him twice. Anybody is lucky to live once they have defied him once, or even thought about defying him. You two don't realise how incredibly lucky you are."

"Professor, I want to fight," I said. "He killed my best friend, and I want to make him suffer."

"I don't think it will work, Lily," he said. "James told me about the other night. Sometimes I'm glad you're so incredibly stubborn, but this time, not so much. You will do as I say, and not go out and fight anymore."

I took that as a cue to leave, so I got up from the seat I was in and apparated home.

* * *

**That KILLED me... I hated having to kill off my OC. If you're lucky, I might throw her into another story... **

**Oh, and, does anybody remember her last name, or if I even mentioned it?**

**Anyways, onto the happy news... I'm updating every day, until the story is finished...**

**Actually, I might post the epilogue a week later... **

**Up to you, say in your reviews, please.**

**And for you to know the sad news...**

**This is the third last chapter... that means there's only two more updates...**

**Plus the epilogue.**

**Up to you.**

**Tell me what you think**

**Love HEAPS (Serena/Ada, you better read this sometime)**

**Gabi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**PS: If any of you can guess that reference, you get a prize =]  
**


	18. The Best I Could Ask For

"Wake up, my Lilyflower," James cooed, stroking my hair, which was glittering in the sunlight.

"Why should I?" I mumbled, fighting my urge to go back to sleep.

"Becuase it's your birthday, and I have a big day planned."

Damn. The thought of James planning my birthday and then talking like that is just too damn sexy.

"Alright, I'm getting up," I smiled, and turned over the bed, just in time for James to plant a kiss on my lips.

"Great present," I mumbled.

"You're not getting your present until tonight," he told me. "Did you know it's been a year since our first kiss?"

"Yes," I answered, getting off the bed and putting some clothes on. I had in fact been thinking about that a few days ago. That memory was one of my favourites. ButI had a feeling I would have a new favourite memory by tomorrow morning.

"So, my dear boyfriend, what have we got planned this day?"

"Well, this morning we're going to Bathilda's, she's made us morning tea."

I rolled my eyes. Bathilda Bagshot was an extremely old woman, who, although being able to tell us interesting stories about Professor Dumbledore (who used to live here in this very house), and making an excess of fruitcake, had an increasingly failing memory, and sometimes babbled about things three days in a row.

"And then, we're putting in a visit to your family."

"What?"

"I got a hold of them. Your parents and Petunia wanted to see you. Before you ask, I don't know why Petunia wants to, but I know for a fact that your parents miss you, so I thought I'd treat them as well as you."

"And after that?"

"We're going to dinner at Pistachio's, with Remus, Alice, Frank, and Sirius. Then after that, we're going on a starlit stroll down by the lake."

"Sounds like a very good birthday," I agreed. "But can I add in another stop? I want to go see Nikki."

"Anything for you, my love."

Well, here's how it went: Bathilda told us the same story she told us a few days ago, and made fruitcake and stale tea. We ate it, but it wasn't the best and we had to get some icecream afterwards. On the plus side, she gave me a signed copy of _A History of Magic_.

Next, we went and visited Nikki, which bought more tears than I'd bargained for, so that when I turned up at my parent's house, she wondered what was so upsetting about my turning nineteen. The lunch was semi-enjoyable. Vermin was there.

Then, at Pistachio's (which, yes, I do realise is a type of nut, but the owner is a bit cuckoo, and his last name is Pistachio anyway) I was given an assortment of books for my birthday present, and Alice kept up the tradition of the tiara.

But all that was nothing compared to the stroll down the by the lake. Well, ocean, really. We sat on the sand and watched the tide come in, the stars and the moon glittering off the smooth surface of the water.

"How did you like your birthday?" James asked me, a hopeful look on his face.

"It was magnificent, thank you," I smiled, taking his face in my hands and planting a kiss on his lips.

"I'm glad you liked it," he laughed, kissing back.

I pulled away. "But you still haven't given me your present."

"I was wondering when you'd notice," he rolled his eyes. "Okay, close your eyes my Lilyflower."

"Why?"

"Just close them," he said, covering them with his hand as he pulled something out of the pocket of his jacket. I felt something land on the top of my head.

"It's snowing," James smiled, as he placed something into my hand. I carefully opened my eyes and smiled. Snow was nice. But right now, I really wanted to see what this present was.

Looking down, I saw that it was a small, intricately carved box with a carving of a lily on the top. I smiled, but apparently, that wasn't all. "Open it," James whispered, and, doing as he said, I undid the latch and my eyes fell upon one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

It was a ring, but it was not just any ring. It was a simple, elegant, unsophistacted, silver ring, with a row of diamonds set into it. I didn't know what to say.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Like it?" I raised my eyebrows. "James, I love it."

"Lily, I love you, with all my heart. You're the only girl I've ever loved. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Lily, will you marry me?"

I looked up into his hazel eyes, which were full of anticipation and love. I knew the same emotions were in my eyes. "Yes," I cried, barely audible through the tears that were falling from my eyes. "James, of course I will! I love you!"

**

"Alice?" I asked after the meeting a few days later. "Alice, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, Lily, what's up?" she asked, suddenly worried. "You didn't break up with James, did you?"

"NO!" I said, waving my arms in front of my face before she got any ideas. "No, quite the opposite actually."

She looked down at my hand. "You're getting married to him?" she said, a huge smile breaking out on her face. "Lily, congratulations!"

"Thanks, Alice, but the wedding was actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Alice, your wedding was absolutely beautiful, and I was wondering if you could make my wedding beautiful. Alice, will you do me the honour of being my Maid of Honour?"

"Lily, of course I will!" she said. "Why would I not?"

"Because now we have to talk to my family... meaning Petunia."

"Please, we're witches. They won't be a problem."

Five minutes later, I was knocking on the door to my parent's house, where Petunia _still_ lived, after being married for a whole year already. I heard hurried footsteps on the other side of the door, and Petunia was the one who answered.

"Oh," she sneered. "What are you doing here?"

"Petunia," I sighed. "I need to talk to you, and mum and dad. Can I come in?"

"Fine," she groaned, stepping aside. "Who's this?"

"This is Alice Longbottom. Alice, this is the reason I don't talk to my family."

"Oh, haha, Lily," she rolled her eyes and followed us to the family room. "Mum, dad!" she called up the stairs. "Visitors!"

"I'm not a visitor!"

"Yes, you are, now sit down."

"You sit down, I'm fine with standing." Mum and dad came down the stairs.

"Lily?" mum asked, shocked. "Seeing you again so soon? I thought children hardly saw their parents after they'd moved out."

"I hadn't seen you in over a year, mum," I pointed out, giving her a big hug, and then doing the same for dad. "And I'm here because I have some news for you."

"Ooo, what is it?"

"Mum, dad, Petunia. You know I've been going out with James for a long time."

"Yes, of course," Petunia drawled. "Can we just get on with it?"

"Well, we're getting married," I said, my face scrunching up, waiting for their reactions."

"Sweetie, congratulations," Mum cried, standing up and coming over to me. "I'm glad."

"Thanks mum," I said, returning the hug. "Dad."

"Congratulations my Lilyflower," he said. "I'm happy for you."

"Will you give me away?"

"Of course," he said, sitting back down.

Now it was time for Petunia. "Congratulations Lily," she sighed. "I suppose I have to go to the wedding?"

"Yeah," I said, about to laugh at the expression that had just formed over Alice's face. "If you want to, that is."

"When is it?" mum asked me.

"October Thirty-First... Halloween."

**

"You should have a Halloween themed wedding," Alice screamed excitedly as James and I sat at the kitchen table at Alice and Frank's house four months after the meeting with my family. "Think about it. James could dress up as Frankenstein, and you could dress up as.... a corpse bride!"

"Seriously, Alice, you have put way too much thought into this," I told her. "We were just planning on a normal, un-Halloween related wedding. Something really simple."

"How about Prince Charming and Cinderella?" she suggested, obviously not having listened to a word I'd said.

"Who are Prince Charming and Cinderella?" James asked me under his breath.

"They're the two main characters in a muggle fairy tale... sort of like the Tales of Beedle the Bard, but the magic's different. Muggles believe that fairy's are good-natured and kind."

"Nah, I don't fancy Prince Charming and Cinderella," James smiled.

"Although, I wouldn't mind wearing a set of glass slippers."

"That can all be arranged, my child," Alice cackled.

James and I looked at each other, thinking exactly the same thing: Boy, she's lost it.

"Alice, please don't put too much thought into this," I begged. "I just want a nice, simple wedding. No bats!"

"Fine," she surrendered. "But I'm still going to dress you up like a princess."

"The wedding isn't until October," I reminded her. "It's only June now."

"So we should be getting you a wedding dress as soon as possible!"

"But you didn't get yours until the week before your wedding!"

"Lily, it's different with you. We need to start searching really soon. Because of your hair colour, you need to get a dress that doesn't clash with it."

"Wedding dresses are white," I pointed out.

"Not all of them!"

"Alright," I said. "When do you want to go?"

"I have made an appointment with Anita for tomorrow."

"You're too organised for your own good," I sighed.

**

"This one will look perfect," Anita assured me, coming into the back room with a plain, white gown.

"No," Alice disagreed. "I don't want white for her. I want something unique."

"I don't have many dresses that aren't white," Anita confessed. "There's a small section of different coloured dresses. You two are welcome to take a look."

"Thank you," Alice said, grabbing my hand and dragging me out to the corner where the other dresses were.

"Okay, let me just get this straight... I'm not wearing any colour that will clash with my hair and make me look horrible, okay?"

"I'm not that cruel," Alice said, starting to go through all the different dresses. I went forward to help her, but she pushed me back. "I want to do this."

I sighed, rolled my eyes, and sat down on the poofy seat that was nearby. Finally, after ten minutes, she pulled out a simple silver one. The sleeves were neatly folded down the shoulders. The mid section of the dress was firm, decorated by a simple lace design, and fitted as a v, and the silk skirt that fell from it was so soft it looked like it James' invisibility cloak.

"That one," I said as Anita came over to see how we were doing. "I want that one."

"I'll let you try it on dear," she said. Alice carried the dress through to the back room, and I followed her.

When I came out, all I saw was the dropped mouth of Alice and Anita, admiring me in the dress.

**

"Dorothy shoes!" Alice cried, showing me a pair of glittering, ruby red shoes. Over all our years at Hogwarts together, I'd taught her quite a bit about muggle literature: especially lit with magic.

"One, those would clash horribly with my hair, and b, Dorothy had silver shoes in the book."

"Spoilsport," she sulked, putting the shoes back. "How about these ones then?"

I looked up. "Yes."

* * *

**Awww!! I absolutily loved writing this chapter.**

**Especially the proposal bit. My heart melted, and I had to refreeze it.**

**So, I hope you liked that... especially because the next chapter is the last...**

**How sad. **

**I might post it on Monday, and then the epilogue a few days later.**

**I'm getting all sentimental now.**

***Slaps self***

**Better.**

**Review Please!**

**Love Gabi xx  
**


	19. From the Very First Moment

"James," I said to myself. "Alice!" I finally screamed in frustration. "I don't know what to say for my vows!"

"Lily, calm down," she sighed, coming over to the chair. The night before the wedding is hectic. I'm staying at Alice's house, because, technically, I don't have my own house. The house was James' for the night... plus, what's the point in being at the house where the wedding is if you need to arrive in a limo?

"How do I calm down?" I asked. "It's the night before my wedding, and I don't even have my vows sorted."

"Lily, do you want to know a secret. I didn't have my vows done. I made the up when I was at the altar, looking at Frank. Most brides make up their vows when they're looking at their groom."

"Are you being serious?" I asked. "Alice, why didn't you tell me that before? Here I've been sitting, worrying about my vows, and now you're telling me that most people make them up?"

"Well, it's better than worrying about other things," she said. "Trust me."

"Like what?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"I'm not gonna tell you, because then you'll start worrying about them. Just, worry about the vows you're going to make up tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine," I muttered, and grabbed a piece of paper. "You don't by any chance happen to have invested into a muggle computer and internet have you?"

"NOPE!" Frank called out.

"Bloody brilliant," I muttered. "Okay... let's see... Sometimes... nah, can't do anything with that..."

**

"Lily, you look so beautiful," my dad told me as I stepped out of the limo and into the snow that was covering the front lawn of my house.

Alice had already said that to me this morning. I kind of believed it myself. My hair was pulled back, curled, and decorated with lilies, which Alice had decided was to be the theme of this wedding. My bocquet was made of lilies, and there was a rose in there as well, in memory of Nikki. Rose was her favourite flower, and I knew Nikki would have loved to be here.

Smiling, I walked through the house to the backyard, where the wedding guests were assembled. James turned around when Sirius, his best man, tapped him on the shoulder. Even Remus, the other groomsman was lost for words. James, grinning broadly, walked forward to meet me at the top of the aisle, and grasped my hand.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of this man and this woman...

"... Now, for the exchange of vows. You first, Lily."

"James," I sighed, looking into his eyes. "James, I sat forever last night trying to think of vows, but I couldn't think of anything. Now I believe what Alice said. James, meeting you was fate. Becoming your friend was a choice. But falling in love with you? That was something I had no control over. But nevertheless, I am so glad I did, because I love you with all my heart, and there is nobody else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. I've loved you since the very first moment I saw you." I slid the ring onto his finger.

There was a collective 'aww' from the assembly, and James smiled the biggest smile I'd ever seen him smile.

"You next James," the celebrant prompted.

"Lily," he almost laughed. "Lily, I sat forever last night trying to think of vows, but I couldn't think of anything. But now, I have it all." There was a small laugh from everybody there. "Lily, sometimes I wake up, and forget how happy you've made my life. Then, when I see your smile, it all comes back to me. I can't begin to imagine my without you to wake up to, or to go places with. Lily, the spaces between my fingers are meant to be filled with yours, and I hope that feel the same way about mine." With that, he slid the ring onto mine, looked into my eyes, and smiled.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Slowly, surely, we both closed our eyes, and our lips met. Applause broke out from the crowd, and James pulled away to look at them. I wasn't about to let that happen. I pulled him back and our lips met again. This was met by laughter from, who else?, Sirius.

"You can stop now," the celebrant interrupted, which was followed by a groan from everybody. Grudgingly, I pulled away and let the ceremony finish.

**

Godric's Hollow town hall. The town hall is amazing, so old and full of character. So just imagine what it's like when you get Alice giving it a Halloween theme (much to my appreciation/surprise/anger). There were pumpkins hanging from the ceiling, bats in the eaves, and candles littering the tables. As soon as I walked in, I turned and glared at Alice. "I told you _no bats_," I laughed.

"Glad you appreciate it," she smiled. "Come on, let's sit down."

After my feet had at least a bajillion blisters from dancing, it was time for the best man's speech. This was going to be funny, I thought to myself. It's Sirius.

"Thanks, everyone," he said, waving to the audience. "Most of you might know me... you'd better, because I'm awesome. Anyway, for those of you who don't, my name is Sirius, and James here... he's like a brother to me. We met on our first day of Hogwarts, seated in the same compartment. Ever since then, we've been closer than peas in a pod. One day, in second year, James told me that he liked an amazingly smart, funny, red-haired girl. And I told him that he was being ridiculous, and that she'd never go for him. But, despite what I'd said, he went up and asked her out. And that was the first time I saw Lily Evans slap anybody.

"Disheartened, James came back to me, and told me that he'd never ask anybody out ever again. And you know what I said to him? I said 'James, when a girl hates you like that, it really means she likes you... that's simple pre-school psychology'. And you know what James said to me then? He told me that he'd never give up until Lily went out on a date with him. Almost two years ago, Lily asked James to go to her sister's wedding. And James was over the moon, and he never asked Lily on a date again.

"I believe, that if any two people in the world deserve to be together right now, it's these two wonderful people sitting here beside me. Lily and James are about as made for each other as Prince Charming and Cinderella... which I read and researched. Lily and James," at this Sirius raised his glass, "to many long years together. May your dreams with each other be fulfilled."

"Thanks mate," James muttered as Sirius sat down and the hall drank from their glasses.

"Anything for you two," he said. "You deserve each other."

~The End~

* * *

**I loved writing that end scene... no, I loved writing the whole chapter!  
**

**Especially the vows...**

**And a big thank you to Raindrops who helped with those...**

**Now, this is the last chapter, but there's also and epilogue. And I'm going to say all my thank you's and things in there, just because.**

**So, I hope you enjoyed the story, and stay tuned for the Epilogue, coming in about a week.**

**Love Gabi xxxxxxxxx**

**PS: Jenny129, I was planning on doing it now anyway...  
**


	20. Pelipogue

**So here it is - the much awaited Pelipogue!!**

**Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**Epilogue

James Potter was sitting in the lounge room with his son, Harry, on his second anniversary. He was using his wand to entertain the small boy, making small puffs of different coloured smoke erupt from it, and the little boy was trying to catch them in his hands. The look of amazement on his face when the smoke disappeared in his fingers was enough to make anybody smile. Anybody except the man who know walked up to the house, unknown to its three occupants.

Lily Potter now entered the room and announced that Harry's bed was ready. Emitting one more puff of smoke, James threw his wand onto the couch and picked up his son, handing him to his wife. Then he yawned.

As Lily walked up the stairs, she thought she heard the creak of the gate, but then decided she must have been hearing things. After having a child, you picked up every little sound that was made, and even some sounds that weren't made. She shook it off, but then she definitely heard something. It was the sound of the front door opening and James running out to the hall.

"Lily!" James called. "Take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -"

But James Potter never finished his sentence. As James looked into the cold eyes of Lord Voldemort, he was remembering the time, just the night before his wedding. He'd gone on an Order mission without telling Lily. But James had had to go... his best friends were all fighting, and he wanted to be with them. He'd cast a spell into the night, and it had hit Voldemort's best fighter. In a panic, Sirius grabbed the arms of him and Remus, and disapparated back to his house. He vowed that he'd never again go on an order mission in his life. He wouldn't do that to his Lily.

Lily heard the high, cold laugh of Voldemort as a flash of green light illuminated the house. Tears now filling her eyes at the death of her husband, she ran the rest of the stairs and put Harry in his cot. Then she turned around as Voldemort entered the room, and Lily looked into his face once again.

She had looked straight into that face twice before. Once was on her fisrt mission for the Order of the Phoenix, and she'd been duelling alongside her best friend, Alice Prewett, now Longbottom. The fighting had stopped, and she had wondered what it was that had made it so. The next thing she knew, she had been looking into that pale, cold, snake-like face.

The second had been the time her other best friend had died. Voldemort had placed her under the Imperius Curse, and ordered her to kill Nikki, her best friend. But she had refused, and Voldemort had given up... until he came into the Healing Tent himself, and Lily had been two seconds too late disapparating Nikki out.

Now, she was looking into his face for a third time. She had no wand, but she did not need one. She had once read of the Ancient Magic of Love... If she could sacrifice herself for her child, maybe Harry would not have to die. She threw her arms infront of the cot her child was in, now screaming in confusion more than anything else. What had happened to the puffs of coloured smoke?

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily begged of the figure in front of her. Harry put his head up at the sound of his name, and stood up, thinking that his mother wanted him.

"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now..." The voice was shrill, piercing, and Harry did not like it. He screamed louder than before.

But Lily was confused. Voldemort, a hater of muggle-borns, was telling her that she could stand aside and save herself. Why would he do that? Unless... Snape? No, why would Voldemort listen to a slime-ball like that?

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -"

"This is my last warning." Voldemort rolled what seemed to be his eyes. Another victim he would have no pity for, another victim that begged. This was nothing new.

"Not Harry!" Lily begged. "Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything -"

"Stand aside – stand aside girl -" Oh, what was the point? Voldemort thought to himself. He could have forced her away, and respected the wishes of that amateur... what was his name? Snail? Snake? Snape – that was it. But he really couldn't be bothered arguing with this mature twenty-one year old woman any longer. Her husband had died, her son was about to die. Wouldn't it just be easier for her if she died as well? Was this Voldemort caring?

The green light filled the room, and baby Harry laughed, thinking that it was just another part of the show... until his mother fell to the floor infront of him, and he cried even more. This wasn't funny anymore, he wished to shout, but his mouth could not form the words.

Voldemort pointed the wand into Harry's face, very carefully. This was the murder that would make him unstoppable – the one that he had been working his whole life towards, and he wanted to see this little boy's life end. Taking great care not to blink, he opened his mouth as the child began to cry even more.

"_Avada Kedavra_," he said, and watched the green light illuminate the boy.

And then – nothing. Voldemort was nothing. Then he could see again. He looked between the bars of his cot, and watched the snake slither across the floor. But the child had been in the cot. What was he doing there? He rose up, finally realising, in a fit of rage, what had happened. But he could do nothing. He glided out of the open window and watched the crowd assemble beneath. And somebody rushed into the house.

**

"No," Sirius cried, as he took in the lifeless form of his best friend. "No, he can't have." He stayed there, wanting to make sure that his friend hadn't just fallen asleep in the hall... then he heard crying. Somebody was crying, up in the nursery.

Letting go of his dead's friend hand, he rushed up the stairs. The nursery was a mess, boxes and toys everywhere. But what drew Sirius' eyes first was the form of the person he had known for years as Lily Evans, now Potter, limp and lifeless on the floor. "He did," Sirius yelled, rage consuming him. How could that rat be such a... well.. a rat? It was only to be expected, thought Sirius.

The cries brought him back to where he was. He walked over to the cot, and put his arms around his godson. No child should have had to see what he had just seen. Nobody should have. And poor little Harry James Potter would never remember his parents. The only memory of them he would have of them was the two of them falling to the ground, lifeless. The poor kid would probably have nightmares about it for weeks.

And Lily, sacrificing herself to save her son. Nothing ever showed a greater love or bravery than that. Sirius had to admire his two best friends. Which brought his mind back to the matter of the rat. He took Harry out of the house just as the roof collapsed in on itself with a resounding crash. He ran straight towards his motorbike – the muggle one that he had charmed to fly – and bumped into the half-giant figure of Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper.

"Sirius," Hagrid said. "The boy. I've been tol' to take him to Dumbledore."

"He's my godson, Hagrid," Sirius told him, his voice thick with tears. "He's the only piece of them I have left."

"Dumbledore tol' me that he nee's to go to that good-fer-nothin' sister of hers... something about an Ancient Magic."

"He's my godson."

"Sirius, Dumbledore was very strict abou' this. I'm to take him to Dumbledore."

Sirius looked up into Hagrid's face.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," he said.

"Take my bike," Sirius said, passing the small bundle and the keys to th gamekeeper. "You'll get there faster. I've got something I need to do anyway. I'll see you around, Hagrid."

Without another word, Sirius disapparated, and Hagrid got on top of the bike.

Meanwhile, Sirius was apparating to an old acquaintance's house: Peter Pettigrew. After all those years of being their friend, James and Lily had decided to swap to Peter as their secret keeper. And just a week ago too. They hadn't told anybody about the switch, not even Remus.

Sirius knocked on the door three times. Bursting out of the cat door came a rat, trying at full speed to get away. Sirius put his foot on the rat's tail, and watched Peter Pettigrew transform back into himself.

"What have you done, you cowardly … thing that calls himself human!"

"I haven't done anything," Peter said.

"And that's why you came out of your cat door a rat, isn't it?" Sirius yelled. "They were your friends, and you betrayed them to You Know Who!"

"The Dark Lord was very persuasive," Peter cried, making it look like he'd been framed. "I couldn't help myself."

"Only his followers call him 'The Dark Lord'," Sirius sneered. "You're a pathetic excuse for a human being. Get out of here and never come back!"

Peter ran down the street, but, finding his way blocked by nosy neighbours, he turned around to face Sirius, who had raised his wand. "This is for Lily and James," Sirius said, as Pettigrew put his two hands behind his back, one holding his wand.

Trying not to show any pain, Pettigrew silently cut off his finger. If he was going to frame Black, he had to leave some part of himself behind. As Sirius opened his mouth, Pettigrew squeaked "_Avada Kedavra!_", his wand pointing to the crowd behind him. Before the flash of green light was gone, Pettigrew had transformed back into a rat, and had disappeared.

Peter stayed there for a little while, as the ministry officials came and arrested Black, who had not stopped laughing since the spell had been cast.

"You only left a finger!" one of them spat in Black's face. "You're a monster!"

Sirius looked at the man, and just laughed.

"Take him to Azkaban!" the man yelled. "And never let him out!"

Again, Sirius did not stop laughing, even when he made eye contact with the rat on the side of the street.

When Pettigrew had seen all he needed to see, he ran far away, until he reached a lopsided home, with what looked like too many stories for a rat to go all by himself. There was a lopsided sign out the front of what seemed to be a broom shed, and it read 'The Burrow'. Pettigrew smiled to himself. There was a freckled boy out the front of the house, playing with his many brothers. The rat made a beeline for the boy, and Percy Weasley, who was quite adept at spotting unusual things, picked up the rat, and took him in to his mother.

"Mummy!" the young Percy called. "Mummy! I found a rat outside, and it's missing a toe! Can we look after it mummy?"

"Yes, of course you can Percy," his mother replied, but her mind was on other things. She was reading the front page of _The Daily Prophet_, the wizarding newspaper. Peter had to see the cover, just to know what made the woman so distracted.

_**You-Know-Who is No More!**_

_Late last night, we received a statement from Albus Dumbledore reading that You-Know-Who is gone. This comes after what muggles living in Godric's Hollow described as an explosion. _

"_The house, right on the very edge of town, that was the one that got blown up," an eyewitness reports. "It's funny, I never really noticed it before now. Seemed like a nice house."_

_Ministry officials were soon on the site, and claim the house belonged to Lily and James Potter, and their son, Harry, who were under the protection from You-Know-Who from the Order of the Phoenix, for reasons unknown. Unfortunately, the bodies of James and Lily were found in the hall and nursery respectively. However, Harry is missing, believed to have been taken to family elsewhere by Albus Dumbledore. _

_Other reports state that Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, betrayed the family to... (more page 9)_

Excellent, thought Peter. Sirius had been framed for what he had done, and now he was in Azkaban.

A few days later, another news article stated that Sirius Black had gone after Peter Pettigrew to frame him for the death of the Potters. While in the process, he had managed to kill thirteen muggles, and all that was left of Pettigrew was a finger. Peter smiled to himself. The faking of his own death had been a success.

It wasn't until many years later when somebody connected the dots of Pettigrew's finger, and 'Scabbers' the rat missing a toe.

* * *

**I hope you sort of liked that epilogue... I thought it was a nice ending to the story, even if it was sad.**

**Seriously, I cried writing this. **

**Anyway, thank you so much to everybody that followed this story: added it to alerts/favourites, checked their emails everyday to see if I'd updated, checked the site everyday.... reviewed!! I love you all, and I hope you don't hate me.**

**Hey, here's an idea, why don't you read some of my other stories... especially Miserable at Best, which is set in the Marauder's era, but it follows Snape... It's a one-shot.**

**But it's up to you.**

**Love you all**

**From Gabi xxx  
**


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